On Aug. 8, the Republican National Committee, the Republican Party of Wisconsin, and GOP chapters in Rock and Walworth counties filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit challenging Wisconsin’s absentee voting laws.

The Elias Law Group, which describes itself as a “mission-driven firm committed to helping Democrats win, citizens vote, and progressives make change,” filed the original suit on July 20, alleging that a 2022 Wisconsin Supreme Court decision prohibiting the use of drop boxes in the state violates voters’ rights. Plaintiffs in the case include Priorities USA, the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans, and a Dane County resident.

Republican National Committee Director of Legal Communications Gates McGavick said, “Early voting, absentee voting is something the RNC is very much coming to embrace, but there have to be appropriate safeguards in place. The issue with this lawsuit is it tries to get rid of some of those safeguards.”

Priorities USA Deputy Executive Director Aneesa McMillan said, “Previous campaign cycles have put a much-needed spotlight on the blatant attempts to use restricted access to absentee voting as a means of voter suppression. As a result of this, vulnerable communities, including people of color, face extraordinary barriers to casting their ballots. We hope this legal effort will bring relief to Wisconsin voters while expanding access to the ballot for every eligible voter in the state.”