Trump campaign, RNC sue Whitmer over Michigan voter registration efforts

Former President Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC) are suing Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) over her voter registration efforts in the state.

The campaign and the RNC are taking issue with Whitmer’s directive that authorized Small Business Administration (SBA) and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) sites to be used for voter registration efforts. In the complaint filed Monday, they argue Whitmer lacks the authority to designate those federal offices as “voter registration agencies,” or VRAs.

The complaint argues that only the state Legislature has the authority to designate those offices as “voter registration agencies.”

“The RNC and its members are concerned that Defendants’ failure to comply with Michigan statutes governing VRA designation undermines the integrity of elections by increasing the opportunity for individuals to register to vote even though they are ineligible to do so, and by sowing confusion regarding whether the agencies purporting to offer assistance in registering voters are doing so in accordance with applicable law,” the complaint states.

It also argues that the alleged violations have caused “economic, financial, and political injury” to the Trump campaign and the RNC “by forcing them to allocate additional resources and misallocate their scarce resources in ways they otherwise would not have.”

Michigan is a key battleground state for the 2024 election. Trump carried the state in 2016, but President Biden took the state from Trump in 2020. They are currently polling neck and neck in the state, according to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ’s polling average in the state.

The complaint lists Whitmer, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Director of the Michigan Bureau of Elections Jonathan Brater, and other state officials as defendants.

A Michigan Department of State spokesperson said that it will be reviewing the lawsuit in a statement to The Hill. 

“It is unfortunate that this divisive, partisan lawsuit was filed today. Making it easier for veterans and small business owners in Michigan to register to vote should not be controversial,” the spokesperson said.

“We will review this and any other litigation that comes our way but remain committed to ensuring that every Michigan voter has the tools and resources they need to participate in every election,” they added.