Recently, two local election officials in Michigan have been directed to cease administering elections due to their plans to breach the state's election law. The Michigan Secretary of State Director of Elections sent a letter to the officials outlining the violation.
State Law Requirements
In Michigan, the law mandates that all ballots must pass through voting machines for the vote tally, prohibiting hand-counting of votes.
Violation Details
The Director of Elections for Michigan's Bureau of Elections, Jonathan Brater, notified the Rock River township clerks that their intended actions would violate the Michigan Election Law. The officials planned to deviate from the required procedure of securing tabulated ballots in sealed containers post-election and conduct a hand count before the Alger County Canvass.
Consequences
Despite warnings, the officials, Tom Schierkolk and David LaMere, refused to comply with the procedures, prompting Brater to bar them from overseeing elections.
Official Response
Efforts to obtain comments from Schierkolk and Brater are ongoing.
Implications
This incident highlights the decentralized nature of Michigan's vote-counting process, involving numerous township and jurisdictional clerks within the state's 83 counties. State election officials are vigilant against potential misconduct from within the system.
Township Details
Rock River Township, situated in Oceana County, was won by former President Donald Trump with 63% of the vote in 2020, with a total of 13,836 votes cast in the county.
