Republican ‘Bank Your Vote’ Program Terminated By RNC
The way U.S. elections are held radically changed, and they will not revert back to the more traditional means anytime soon. But last year’s effort to change with the times hit a roadblock, and the drive from the Republican National Committee (RNC) to secure early voting was mothballed.
Party leaders on Friday announced the “Bank Your Vote” launched by former Chair Ronna McDaniel was kaput. The websites were immediately taken down with a new program promised to replace them.
RNC official and Donald Trump spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez told The Federalist that the drive for early voting — by mail or in person — is being reformulated. “The website is down as we focus our operation on not only banking votes but growing votes.”
RNC Removes ‘Bank Your Vote’ Website, Plans Overhaul Of Early Voting Initiative https://t.co/2iRfM5V4rh
— The Federalist (@FDRLST) April 20, 2024
Republican officials intend to implement a new program that both encourages “banking” votes and a “Grow the Vote” initiative. The goal is to reach conservatives who may not fit the conventional mold and be counted on to vote.
Alvarez noted that RNC staffers and volunteers are blanketing battleground states to reach these voters.
New RNC Chairman Michael Whatley reached out to GOP staffers recently, writing that the party is determined to pull in these non-traditional Republicans. This would work in tandem with the now-defunct “Bank the Vote.”
Former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel touted the program as a way to defeat President Joe Biden. “When Republicans vote early, we win. ‘Bank Your Vote’ will be instrumental in getting Republicans to vote early or by mail to beat Biden and secure Republican victories up and down the ballot.”
Among endorsements for last year’s system was a statement from former President Donald Trump.
Separate websites were launched for all 50 states and in 16 languages. These included GOP messaging in Arabic, Assyrian, Hmong, Navajo, Tagalog and Vietnamese.
Republicans know that their Democratic counterparts have a head start in absentee voting and ballot harvesting. After all, the left conjured these non-traditional methods to secure the White House in 2020, and it worked.
There are some within Republican ranks who seek to fight to curb these new voting methods that raise serious security concerns. But 2024 will play out under much the same rules as 2020, and to win in November means that the game must be won under existing rules.