RNC sues Detroit for failing to hire enough Republican poll workers

(CBS-DETROIT) – The Republican National Committee has filed a lawsuit against Detroit, accusing the city of not hiring enough Republican election inspectors (also called poll workers).

Under Michigan law, election commissioners must “appoint at least one election inspector from each major political party and appoint in each precinct as equal a number as possible of election inspectors from each major political party.”

Election inspectors are hired, paid and trained to assist at polling places during local elections, according to the Michigan Secretary of State's website. They greet and check in voters, hand out ballots, assist with counting and sometimes assist with absentee ballots.

The lawsuit names City Clerk Janice Winfrey, City Council President Mary Sheffield and corporate counsel Conrad Mallet as plaintiffs in their positions on the City of Detroit Elections Commission.

According to the lawsuit, the city appointed 310 Republican and 2,337 Democratic election inspectors for the Aug. 6 primary election. That means 300 of the 335 polling places did not maintain the “as equal a number as possible” of poll workers from all major parties and 202 polling places did not have a Republican election inspector, the lawsuit said.

Of the 310 Republicans appointed, only 52 of the 675 candidates nominated by Gnacke-Nemeth were appointed.

“Accordingly, the ratio of Democrats to Republicans – 7.5 to 1 – appointed as election inspectors by the City of Detroit Election Commission is not, in the aggregate, 'as nearly as equal a number as possible' as required by section 674(2) of the Election Code,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit demands that Detroit appoint more Republican election inspectors before the November election to “correct the imbalance” and “comply with legal requirements.”

“Detroit's refusal to hire Republican poll workers is the kind of malicious Democratic interference that undermines trust in elections,” said RNC Chair Michael Whatley and his co-chair Lara Trump. “The RNC is bringing suit to remedy this totally unacceptable breach of public trust, and our unprecedented election integrity campaign will continue to fight in Michigan and across the country to protect every voter's right to a fair, accurate, secure and transparent election.”

CBS News Detroit has reached out to Detroit city officials, who said the city does not comment on pending litigation.

Read the full lawsuit below.