Michigan House Speaker says GOP will launch vote counting inquiry

No evidence of voter fraud in Michigan

President Donald Trump gives thumbs up after stepping off Air Force One as he arrives at Detroit Metro Airport, behind him are Kurt Heise, left, Supervisor of Plymouth Township, Mich., and Speaker Lee Chatfield, of the Michigan House of Representatives, Thursday, May 21, 2020, in Detroit. Trump will visit a Ypsilanti, Mich., Ford plant that has been converted to making personal protection and medical equipment. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (Alex Brandon, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The Republican-led Michigan State House and Senate will hold hearings on the “voting and counting process” in the state, according to House Speaker Lee Chatfield.

“Every single legal vote needs to be counted, regardless of who cast it or who they voted for. And then the candidate who wins the most of those votes will win Michigan’s electoral votes, just like it always has been. Nothing about that process will change in 2020,” Chatfield said in a statement Friday. “That is why the House and Senate oversight committees will begin hearings soon looking into the voting and counting process in our state to give everyone confidence in the results and to make sure the next election runs much more smoothly.”

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Despite minor technical issues in some counties, the Michigan Secretary of State contends the election, given the record-breaking turnout, went smoothly and results were reported ahead of schedule.

The proposed inquiry comes as President Trump is seeking to stop vote counting in key election states, including Michigan. A lawsuit to stop the count in Michigan was dismissed by the Michigan Court of Claims on Thursday.

There is no evidence of voter fraud tied to the 2020 Michigan election. The Associated Press projects Joe Biden to win the state, with a lead of more than 140,000 votes over Donald Trump.

Democratic Michigan Senator Jeremy Moss said he opposed the hearings. “In 2020, this system worked, and more than 5.5 million Michiganders voted by mail, via drop box or at the polls. We don’t need to hold legislative hearings just for some to grandstand and sow doubt in our democratic process. Instead, we need to respect and uphold the will of the people in Michigan.”

Michigan completed counting absentee ballots on Thursday. Republicans are expected to keep control of the Michigan House.

Michigan Republicans held a press conference on Friday, alleging voter fraud in Michigan, but offered no evidence to back the claims.

Trump’s campaign and Republicans already are mounting legal challenges in several states, although most are small-scale lawsuits that do not appear to affect many votes.


About the Author:

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.