GOP groups sue California Gov. Newsom over vote-by-mail order amid COVID-19 pandemic

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The Republican National Committee, the California Republican Party and the National Republican Congressional Committee have filed suit over Governor Gavin Newsom's executive order to send mail-in ballots to every voter in California for the November 2020 election.

RELATED: Newsom signs executive order to send every registered Californian a mail-in ballot

The Chair of the Republican Party Ronna McDaniel announced the lawsuit on Sunday through Twitter.

"His radical plan is a recipe for disaster that would create more opportunities for fraud & destroy the confidence Californians deserve to have in their elections," McDaniel's tweet read.

McDaniel called it a "recipe for disaster" and would create more opportunities for voter fraud.

Newsom's order to send every registered voter a mail-in ballot for the November presidential election is in effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Secretary of State Alex Padilla said California is the first state in the nation to commit to sending everyone mail-in ballots amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

"Expanding vote-by-mail during a pandemic is not a partisan issue-it's a moral imperative to protect voting rights and public safety," Padilla said."Vote-by-mail has been used safely and effectively in red, blue, and purple states for years. This lawsuit is just another part of Trump's political smear campaign against voting by mail. We will not let this virus be exploited for voter suppression."

Governor Newsom's Press Secretary responded to the lawsuit, telling ABC7 News:

"California will continue to defend Californians' right to vote, including their right to vote by mail, and the right to hold an election that is safe, secure, and accessible. Voters shouldn't have to choose between their health and their right to vote."

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