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Friday, January 10
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DNC asks court to block RNC challenge to 60,000 ballots in North Carolina
* The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has gotten involved ([link removed]) in the Republican National Committee (RNC) lawsuit challenging 60,000 votes cast in North Carolina in November. Republicans alleged these voters didn’t provide proper ID when registering to vote and their ballots should be removed from vote totals.
* Though Republicans didn’t mention the state Supreme Court race specifically, the timing of the filing and the nature of the ballot challenges coincide with GOP candidate Jefferson Griffin’s litigation.
* “While Republicans attempt to suppress the votes of their constituents, Democrats will use every tool at our disposal to ensure that voters determine elections – not politicians,” DNC Chair Jaime Harrison said. “On November 5, North Carolina voters elected Justice Allison Riggs. Their voices will be heard.”

The latest on Griffin’s ballot challenges litigation
* In Griffin’s first case challenging ([link removed]) over 60,000 ballots and asking a court to temporarily block certification of his race, the North Carolina Board of Elections pushed to move the lawsuit to federal court. A federal district court judge then sent the case back to the majority Republican state Supreme Court that Griffin is running for.
* The election board and Riggs appealed the decision to move the case back to state court to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court scheduled ([link removed]) oral arguments for Jan. 27.
* Certification of the race is currently blocked while litigation is ongoing after the Supreme Court of North Carolina granted Griffin’s request in his second case ([link removed]) .

Who will be the new chair of the DNC?
* Harrison said he won’t run for reelection this February, so the field is wide open. Marc interviewed the four DNC chair candidates about what Democrats got wrong in the 2024 election and what their plans are for the party. Watch here ([link removed]) to see the full conversations.

DeSantis’ refusal to call Florida special elections is “undemocratic and wrong”
* Florida voters sued ([link removed]) Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) yesterday for failing to call special elections for two vacancies in the state legislature. Two state lawmakers resigned their seats over six weeks ago to run in special elections for open congressional seats.
* “The Santa Rosa community has the right to full representation in the Legislature; the governor’s refusal to call a special election deprives us of that right, breaking with decades of precedent,” Plaintiff Christina Forrest said ([link removed]) . “It’s undemocratic and wrong.”

11th Circuit denies request to block report on Trump indictments
* The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied ([link removed]) a request to block Special Counsel Jack Smith's report on President-elect Donald Trump's indictments.
* The U.S. Department of Justice appealed ([link removed]) District Judge Aileen Cannon's injunction against the release of the report which expires in three days, seeking an earlier release of the report.

With Trump taking office, Project 2025 is the agenda
* Read here ([link removed]) to learn how pro-democracy groups and leaders are fighting back to protect the communities most threatened by the right-wing plan.

Trial coming up Monday
* An Alabama court will hold ([link removed]) a trial in a challenge to the commission districts of Jefferson County. Civil rights organizations argued the districts are racially gerrymandered and violate the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

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