Mike Reed, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, said that law enforcement officers are not part of the RNC’s new poll-watching program. “Our program consists of volunteers and attorneys,” he said.
Other Republican officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal strategy said they were unaware of plans to deploy law enforcement officers to polling places, adding that the president’s comments were inaccurate and unhelpful to the party’s efforts to expand its poll-watching program through appropriate and legal measures.
Matthew Morgan, general counsel for Trump’s reelection campaign, said in a statement that “Republicans will be ready to make sure the polls are being run correctly, securely, and transparently as we work to deliver the free and fair election Americans deserve.”…
Justin Riemer, the RNC’s chief counsel, said volunteers will be trained on local rules and on looking for potential voting problems or fraud. At times, he said, the ballot watchers may confront issues directly with poll workers or may call their problems in to a team of election lawyers back at state headquarters. He said volunteers also will be trained to observe local officials as they count mail-in votes.
Some GOP poll watchers will be stationed in communities that have traditionally seen long lines or other voting day problems, which Riemer acknowledged would be likely to include some Democratic-leaning urban polling sites with many voters of color.
“Where do you see those lines wrapped around the block on Election Day?” he said. “Those are the kinds of places we are going to be. There is usually something wrong.”
Riemer said other poll watchers would focus on GOP-leaning areas, where they can monitor who has not yet voted as the day progresses to help the party better target its get-out-the-vote efforts.
RNC officials say they have developed training programs for poll watchers, though they declined to provide details or copies of the materials.
The consent decree significantly hampered the party’s political activities for years , Riemer said, and, as a result, the RNC plans to be extremely careful not to run afoul of laws against intimidation.
“People here are so vigilant that we are not put under another consent decree,” he said. “Our volunteers will be beaten over the head that they need to be compliant with all applicable laws, and they need to be respectful and courteous when they are engaging in their operations.”