RPOF, RNC, and NRCC Protect Election Integrity Ahead of 2020

TALLAHASSEE – Today, one day before trial was scheduled to start in federal court in the Northern District of Florida, a group of Democrat-aligned organizations including Priorities USA and the Dream Defenders entered into a settlement agreement with the Florida Secretary of State and the RPOF, RNC, and NRCC dismissing their lawsuit challenging Florida’s vote-by-mail laws.

The Republican Party of Florida intervened in this lawsuit in May along with the Republican National Committee and National Republican Congressional Committee to help defend Florida’s laws that ensure the safety and security of vote-by-mail.  Among other things, the Democrat-aligned organizations were attempting to have Florida’s ban on paid vote-by-mail ballot harvesting declared unconstitutional; to require supervisors of elections to count vote-by-mail ballots received after election day; and to require the state to provide pre-paid postage on all vote-by-mail ballots.  After the Republicans defeated the Democrat-aligned organizations’ attempt at a preliminary injunction last month, the organizations decided to settle the case in order to avoid an even worse loss at trial.

RPOF Chairman Joe Gruters, said, “Floridians choosing to vote-by-mail must have confidence that their vote will be safe and secure.  RPOF intervened in this lawsuit to protect Florida’s vote-by-mail safeguards that were under attack by Democrat special interests.  We are glad that the Democrat-aligned organizations finally saw the light and dropped their lawsuit. We are pleased Florida’s strong laws will remain in place for 2020 when Florida reelects President Trump.”

The consolidated case is: Nielsen v. DeSantis Case No. 4:20-cv-236-RH and Dream Defenders v. DeSantis, Case No. 1:20-cv-67-RH.