Democrats and election experts say the figure is unrealistic, but expressed concerns the effort could hamper normal election operations and intimidate voters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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April 19, 2024, 2:27 PM CDT<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By Jane C. Timm<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and the Republican National Committee announced a massive \u201celection integrity\u201d operation on Friday, promising to deploy 100,000 volunteers and attorneys to battleground states to \u201cprotect the vote and ensure a big win\u201d in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a press release, officials said they wanted the volunteers and lawyers to monitor logic and accuracy testing, early voting, ballot tabulation, mail ballot processing and Election Day voting, as well as post-election canvasses, audits, and recounts. The release suggests they may intend to recruit poll workers, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHaving the right people to count the ballots is just as important as turning out voters on Election Day,\u201d Trump said in the release..<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The RNC is hiring hundreds of election integrity staff across the map \u2014 more than ever before because our Party will be recruiting thousands of more observers to protect the vote in 2024. These campaign officials in states are tasked with recruiting, training, and when possible, shifting poll watchers and poll workers day in and day out,” added RNC co-chair Lara Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Poll watching is a normal part of elections \u2014 both parties do it \u2014 but experts warn that unruly operations can be a problem. And as Trump and his allies continue to make false claims about the 2020 election, some experts worry that empowering these sort of observers at polling sites could hamper normal election operations or intimidate voters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The GOP release notes they plan to work with “passionate grassroots coalitions who are deeply invested in fighting voter fraud.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n