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To assure this constitutional guarantee of equal protection and purity of elections, Michigan law provides that poll “challengers” can monitor election officials’ conduct of elections and assure that the election is conducted in accord with Michigan’s Constitution and Election Code.  Individuals who have been designated as a “challenger” under Michigan law are allowed to observe the conduct of the election and object to any irregularities.

Oakland County is attempting to restrict the role of challengers by denying challengers access to absent voter ballot counting locations.  Oakland County will be processing hundreds of thousands of ballots from hundreds of election jurisdictions in these central counting facilities.  Oakland County wants to limit the challengers to a single individual challenger in each building and in so doing, deny other qualified challengers from being present when ballots are processed and counted.

Oakland County’s scheme violates Michigan voters’ right to equal protection, violates Michigan citizens’ constitutional right to “Purity of Elections,” and prevents Michigan voters from having the transparency and accountability provided by Michigan law.

Click here to see the article in The Detroit News about the filing of the complaint:  “Benson Accused of Letting ‘Partisan Operatives’ Influence Election:  Lawsuit Alleges Center for Technology and Civic Life Gave $5.9M to Michigan Clerks in Urban and Democratic Precincts”

Click here to see the St. Louis Post Dispatch article: St. Louis, St. Louis County get big election grants from national nonprofit” which also mentions the Michigan lawsuit.

On Friday October 16th, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, a Democrat, warned against the placement and use of “unstaffed, unsecured, ballot drop boxes” that were being used by the California Republican Party in Fresno, Los Angeles and Orange County.  Secretary of State Padilla concluded by warning that “[t]he CA Republican Party can engage in campaign activities and ballot collection – but they have to play by the rules.” 

The Michigan voters who brought this case, Ryan v. Secretary of State Benson, made the same point that Democrat Secretary of State Padilla made – that the State of Michigan has rules – constitutional and statutory mandates – with which local election authorities and Michigan’s Secretary of State must comply.  As the California controversy demonstrates, this is not a partisan issue. Click here to see the press release.

Click here to see the Wall Street Journal opinion: Inside the Left’s Web of ‘Dark Money’ which provides a link to True North’s Michigan lawsuit.