National and state Republican Party officials are slowly revving up recruitment and plans for what they say will be an “unprecedented” Election Day army of 100,000 poll workers, monitors and lawyers.
A Republican National Committee official told NBC News that the organization has already recruited “tens of thousands” of people to serve in these roles and has hired paid election integrity directors in 13 states, including in key battlegrounds, to oversee volunteers. Weekly trainings are underway, the official said, as the party doubles down on one of former President Donald Trump’s pet issues, election integrity, five months out from the 2024 vote.
But the party has otherwise provided scant details on its plans, as critics argue that a 100,000-person force to fight the fictional foe of widespread voter fraud is overly aspirational. In interviews, state and national Republican officials declined repeatedly to offer specifics on recruitment, training activities and deployment plans.