observe election law violations.”127 The second claims that the “use of notice/cure
procedures violated equal protection because it was deliberately done in counties
where defendants knew that mail ballots would favor Biden/Democrats.”128 The
former finds no support in the operative pleading, and neither states an equalprotection violation.
Count I of the FAC makes no mention of disparity in treatment of observers
based on which campaign they represented. Instead, Count I discusses the use of
“standardless” procedures. These are two separate theories of an equal protection
violation. That deficiency aside, to the extent this new theory is even pled,
Plaintiffs fail to plausibly plead that there was “uneven treatment” of Trump and
Biden watchers and representatives. Paragraphs 132-143 of the FAC are devoted
to this alleged disparity. None of these paragraphs support Plaintiffs’ argument. A
selection below:
“Defendants have not allowed watchers and representatives to be
present . . .”129
“In Centre County, the central pre-canvassing location was a large
ballroom. The set-up was such that the poll watchers did not have
meaningful access to observe the canvassing and tabulation process of
mail-in and absentee ballots, and in fact, the poll watchers and
observers who were present could not actually observe the ballots
such that they could confirm or object to the validity of the ballots.”130
127
128
129
130
Doc. 170 at 29. Count I makes no mention of the poll-watching allegations, nor does it seek
relief for any violation of law on the basis of those allegations. Out of an abundance of
caution, however, the Court considers whether these allegations state a claim.
Id.
Doc. 125 at ¶ 134 (emphasis added).
Id. at ¶ 135 (emphasis added).
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