WASHINGTON -- Following the news that a Republican National Committee-led coalition has filed an election integrity lawsuit against Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for secretly attempting to circumvent Michigan’s absentee voting safeguards, RNC Chairman Michael Whatley released the following statement.
“Michigan’s State Constitution is very clear: election officials have to verify the identity of voters casting absentee ballots. Jocelyn Benson is yet again working to undermine election integrity by secretly instructing officials to disregard and circumvent these clear requirements. The RNC is suing Benson because Michiganders deserve election integrity, not underhanded Democrat schemes.”
Background:
- The Michigan Constitution requires local election officials to “verify the identity” of absentee voters by comparing the signature on absentee ballot envelopes with the voter’s signature on file.
- Three years ago, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson issued instructions to local election officials to presume, not verify, the validity of absentee voter signatures when verifying them. The Michigan Republican Party promptly filed suit, and the court held that the instructions were unlawful.
- However, the RNC recently discovered that Secretary Benson issued secret instructions to local election officials before the February 2024 presidential primary election that they must presume the validity of an absentee voter’s signature. She issued these instructions not through any public guidance but through direct communications with local election officials outside the public eye.
- The Secretary’s instructions are unlawful now for the same reason they were unlawful three years ago: they were not adopted in accordance with Michigan’s Administrative Procedure Act. And they violate Michigan’s constitutional safeguards around absentee voting.
- The Republican National Committee, Michigan GOP, and National Republican Congressional Committee NRCC are challenging these secret instructions in court to protect the security and integrity of Michigan’s elections.
- Read the full suit HERE.
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