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Michigan voters recently filed a lawsuit against Detroit election officials, claiming that several instances of alleged voter fraud suppressed Republican voters.
Poll challengers Cheryl A. Costantino and Edward P McCall Jr. serve as plaintiffs in the voter fraud complaint. The Michigan voters allege several forms of voter fraud, including allowing ineligible individuals to vote, influencing voters to vote for Democratic candidates, and other instances of fraud.
The lawsuit references affidavits from several individuals including former Michigan Assistant Attorney General Zachery Larsen. Larsen was allegedly concerned that election officials were assigning ballots to the wrong voters and for voters not in the official poll book. Larsen was allegedly blocked from further observing the process, with poll workers citing concerns about social distancing.
Citing another affidavit from Detroit election employee Jessy Jacob, the lawsuit says that she and other employees were “specifically instructed” not to ask for a driver’s license or photo ID from prospective voters. This employee also claims to have witnessed employees encouraging voters to vote for all Democratic candidates, the plaintiffs contend.
The lawsuit additionally claims inconsistencies with absentee ballots and in-person voting. Jacobs reportedly witnessed workers being instructed to change the dates on absentee ballots so that they would be registered as received on time. Plaintiffs claim that thousands of ballots were allegedly affected by this pre-dating.
Redundant voting was also permitted by election officials, according to the lawsuit. Voters who had already applied for an absentee ballot were allegedly allowed to vote in-person without returning the ballot they applied for. This practice reportedly opens up the possibility for double voting since election workers cannot confirm that the voter did not cast their absentee ballot.
The Michigan voters’ lawsuit also challenges the practice of allowing absentee ballots without a valid signature. Election officials in Detroit were allegedly instructed to “never” validate signatures on absentee applications or compare these signatures to those found on absentee envelopes “to ensure their authenticity and validity.”
All of these actions reportedly contributed to potential voter fraud in violation of Michigan’s laws and constitution.
“Based upon all the allegations of fraud, statutory violations, and other misconduct, as stated herein and in the attached affidavits, it is necessary to enjoin the certification of the election results pending a full investigation and court hearing, and to order an independent audit of the [Nov. 3] election to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the election,” the Michigan voters’ lawsuit contends.
The Michigan voters seek relief from the court in the form of an order blocking the certification of Wayne County’s election results. The lawsuit also notes that a recount of the election or voiding the election and ordering a new one would remedy the alleged election discrepancies in Wayne County.
This is not the first time that Republican voters in Detroit have voiced their disappointment over the election results. On Nov. 4, dozens of challengers gathered outside the city’s TCF Center where ballots were being counted.
As ballot counting continued, legal challengers and observers gathered at the TCF Center – quickly reaching the legal limit of 134 observers per party.
After the challengers were barred from entering due to the area being at capacity, the Detroit Free Press reports that the gathered crowd pounded on the doors and windows of the TCF Center. All the while, these voters reportedly chanted “Let us in” and “Stop the count” – encouraging officials to stop counting mail-in ballots.
Although ballot counters reportedly felt intimidated by these actions, paper was placed over the windows and the counting of more than 167,000 mail-in ballots continued.
“We will not allow anyone to distract us from the job at hand,” Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey said in a statement. “Our charge is to remain calm, focused and deliberate as we continue the task at hand.”
Similar challenges have been mounted across the country as Republicans challenge the result of the 2020 election. The Trump campaign has filed several lawsuits in battleground states, including a recent lawsuit in Pennsylvania which urges the state to stop certifying election results.
Did you vote in the 2020 election? Let us know what you think of the Michigan voters’ claims in the comment section below.
Plaintiffs in the election lawsuit are represented by David A. Kallman, Stephen P. Kallman, Jack C. Jordan, and Erin E. Mersino of Kallman Legal Group.
The Michigan Voters Lawsuit is Cheryl A. Costantino, et al. v. City of Detroit, et al., Case No. unknown, in the Michigan Circuit Court for Wayne County.
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