Republicans sue to stop Newsom from sending mail-in ballots to all California voters

Republican groups are challenging Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan to send a mail-in ballot to every registered voter in California.

The Republican National Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee, and the California Republican Party filed a lawsuit on Sunday, claiming that the Democratic governor's executive order to provide voters with mail-in ballots ahead of November's general election redesigns the state's electoral system and "violates eligible citizens' right to vote."

"Democrats continue to use this pandemic as a ploy to implement their partisan election agenda, and Governor Newsom's executive order is the latest direct assault on the integrity of our elections," RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement. "Newsom's illegal power grab is a recipe for disaster that would destroy the confidence Californians deserve to have in the security of their vote."

"California's election system is already burdened with serious issues. The disastrous Motor Voter program arbitrarily changed voter registration for thousands casting doubt on the integrity and accuracy of our voter rolls," California GOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson added.

Earlier this month, California became the first state to commit to sending every registered voter a mail-in ballot over concerns about voting in person during the coronavirus pandemic. Democrats nationwide have been calling for vote-by-mail elections amid the health crisis while Republicans have mostly been pushing back.

President Trump tweeted opposition to mail-in voting last month, saying that it has "tremendous potential for voter fraud, and for whatever reason, doesn't work out well for Republicans." He has continued to railed against the idea since, threatening to cut off federal funding to Michigan for sending voters absentee ballot applications and accusing Democrats of "trying to Rig the 2020 Election."

Republicans have also cited election security issues and voter fraud as potential problems with voting-by-mail. Others have expressed concerns about the logistics of switching to a mail-in general election with only months to prepare.

GOP Sen. Rick Scott, however, indicated earlier Sunday that mail-in voting could be more widespread, as it is in his state of Florida, if done "in a safe manner." Sen. Mitt Romney has also noted that about "90% of us vote by mail" in Utah, which he pointed out is "a very Republican state."