The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has filed a brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals opposing the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) challenge to Nevada’s law that allows mail ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if received within four days. The DNC argued that the trial court was correct in dismissing the RNC’s case, as Republicans failed to prove they were harmed by the ballot receipt deadline.

The lawsuit, which Republicans lost at the trial court level and have now appealed, is viewed by the DNC as an attempt to set the stage for broader attacks on early and mail-in voting. The DNC warned that this effort poses a significant threat to working families, military voters, and their ability to cast ballots securely. The committee remains particularly vigilant, citing a similar case in which Republicans prevailed before a conservative panel of Trump-appointed judges in the Fifth Circuit last fall.

DNC Chair Ken Martin condemned the RNC’s lawsuit, stating: “The Republican stance on voting rights is to restrict, limit, and infringe. Now the MAGA-run RNC has set its sights on disenfranchising voters in Nevada – including working families and military voters. The DNC won’t let them.” He emphasized the importance of mail and early voting in ensuring broad voter participation and vowed to continue fighting for every citizen’s right to have their vote counted.

DNC Vice Chair Artie Blanco, a Nevadan, also denounced the RNC’s legal challenge, accusing Republicans of attempting to eliminate early and mail voting nationwide. “Make no mistake: the RNC knows damn well that these votes were cast legally and safely but they still want to throw them out,” she said. Blanco highlighted that Nevada’s voting laws align with longstanding election practices across the country and that military voters, in particular, rely on mail-in ballots to participate in elections.

The DNC’s brief underscored that Nevada’s mail ballot system follows well-established election practices, with at least fifteen states and the District of Columbia permitting ballots to be counted after Election Day. The committee warned that accepting the Republicans’ legal theory would upend election administration nationwide, jeopardizing mail and early voting for millions of Americans.

By urging the Ninth Circuit to dismiss the case on both standing and merit, the DNC reaffirmed its commitment to protecting voting rights and ensuring that all legally cast ballots are counted.

To view the DNC’s opposition brief click here.