Reposted from MIGOP.org, Lansing, 12/16/23
Royal Oak Recount Proceedings Get Heated Over Red Flags And Potential Voter Disenfranchisement
The Oakland County Board of Canvassers, a bi-partisan, four-member board, comprised of two Democrats and two Republicans (nominated by the Oakland County Chair) is once again embroiled in election integrity issues and potential voter disenfranchisement in yesterday’s recount of the City of Royal Oak’s close Proposal B (rank choice voting) race.
Election Integrity Volunteer Investigators preparing for a recount initially raised red flags regarding the unusually high number of absent voter ballots that were sent to the voters but never cast. This prompted the citizen-led investigation unit to conduct a field canvassing mission of over one hundred households in Royal Oak. The results of this investigation found that for those individuals who answered their door, twenty-five voters spread throughout multiple households attested to having voted. However, further investigation revealed that Royal Oak's official city records indicate these Michiganders did not vote.
Once the Oakland County Board of Canvassers was properly notified that at least twenty-five voters in Royal Oak affirmed they voted and their ballots were not recorded in the official records as being received, it would seem feasible to want an accurate answer on whether these voters may have been disenfranchised. Given the Board’s broad investigative powers, which range from subpoena power to forensic experts, one would think they would do the right thing and conduct a thorough investigation. This was not the case at all. Not only did the inept Board refuse to investigate these claims, and despite vocal protests from citizens at yesterday’s recount of the November 7 election, they willfully rubber-stamped the certification and ultimately abdicated their responsibilities to the voters.
Dedicated MIGOP election integrity stakeholders Dr. Philip O’Halloran and Lori Skibo, along with other members, were present at the Royal Oak recount proceedings. The team of concerned citizens witnessed several improper procedures and potentially illegal actions of the recount process. Based on what was witnessed by several concerned citizens, multiple challenges were filed. The dictatorial-style behavior exhibited by Dave Woodward, the Democrat Chairman of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners, was on full display. In the ultimate act of cowardice, he praised the unlawful removal and mocked Mrs. Skibo to silence her voice and delete her presence, when she criticized his role in rigging the Canvassing Board’s nomination process. This type of unchecked authoritarianism from Democrat elected officials cannot and will not stand.
Before the proceedings ended, the Oakland County Board of Canvassers and the Clerk of Royal Oak were served with civil complaints, filed by the recount’s petitioner, William E. Harrison, an 82-year-old Vietnam combat veteran.
Chairwoman Kristina Karamo stated, “This is a time for Michigan Republicans to stand together, regardless of differing perspectives, and fight to eliminate election corruption and ensure that no Michigan voters are disenfranchised due to derelict behavior of election officials. We will not stand by and see our voices diminished or our presence deleted by dictatorial democrats.”
The Michigan Republican Party will continue to fight against systemic election corruption and stands with those voters in Royal Oak who may have been disenfranchised. We urge all Royal Oak residents to go to https://www.checkmyvote.org (https://www.checkmyvote.org/) where they can determine whether their vote was included in the City's official results.
For more information (press only): Communication@MIGOP.org
Five months ago Michigan Fair Elections’ writer Jeff Schaeper wrote after the passage of election reform laws: “As a Michigan resident, you have a full-season admission ticket to the Election Reform Amusement Park. You can sit back and, as they say, enjoy the ride – or the chaos. Michigan Election Reform Amusement Park (mifairelections.org)
Royal Oak residents voted—or tried to vote—in Michigan’s General Election last month. Then a peculiar thing happened on the way to the ballot box: Their cast ballots seem to have vanished into thin air. The discovery came to light after razor-thin margins triggered a recount. Unusual data indicated that 11,000 absentee ballots were requested and mailed out, but only about 9,000 were returned. The 2,000-ballot discrepancy struck local residents as odd. Why would 20% of voters who went to the trouble to request absentee ballots fail to complete and return them? Curious residents decided to investigate.
Phil O’Halloran, M.D. and Michigan GOP Director of Election Integrity just commented: “It’s pretty wild stuff,” of what transpired in two Royal Oak precincts in the November 2023 election. The discrepancy prompted individuals (name them??) to canvass homes:
“Did you receive an absentee ballot?” the voter was asked.
“Yes,” the voter replied.
“Did you vote?,” the voter was asked.
“Yes,” the voter replied.
“How did you return your ballot?” voters were asked.
“By mail”, “by drop box,” or “I dropped it off at the clerk’s office,” the voter(s) xreplied.
But the data from the clerks at these Royal Oak precincts shows that these individuals did not vote; their ballots were never counted.
It’s pretty wild stuff.
Michigan law requires clerks to keep track of permanent mail ballot voters through the qualified voter files. (MCL 168.759(1)). The first ride at the Michigan Election Reform Amusement Park was through the Qualified Voter File What’s this Fuss about the QVF? (mifairelections.org) Call to Action: True election integrity begins with clean voter rolls. (mifairelections.org) Kicking out the QVF facts (mifairelections.org)
“It’s pretty wild stuff,” as voted absentee ballots disappeared – into thin air? – at the Michigan Election Reform Amusement Park.
“Voting is the cornerstone of our system of government,” said Governor Whitmer as she signed the Michigan Election Reform laws in the summer of 2023.
“It’s not the voting that’s democracy; it’s the counting,” says Tom Stoppard, renowned playwright. Counting voted absentee ballots? Not at the Voter Suppression ride at the Michigan Election Reform Amusement Park.
Michigan has 4,751 voting precincts. Biennial_Precinct_Report_for_2020.pdf (michigan.gov) If 25 absentee voters did not have their ballots counted in each Michigan precinct, the total of uncounted ballots could be as much as 118,775.
It’s pretty wild stuff.
“Michigan voters overwhelmingly supported Proposal 2 last year and sent a clear message to the Legislature: reduce barriers to voting and increase access to the ballot box,” said state Senator Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield). “I’m proud to lead this effort that provides more convenient early options to vote through nine days of in-person voting before Election Day, easier ways to sign up to receive absentee ballots, required drop boxes in each community, and more. This – along with early processing of absentee ballots, just as 38 other states do – will allow for our accurate election results to be published much quicker and further instill confidence that our voting systems work. With Gov. Whitmer’s signature, we are strengthening the core functions of our democracy and ensuring Michiganders can fully participate in their representative government.”
Next amusement park ride: Full participation = not having one’s ballot counted or Strengthen the Core Function of Democracy by Losing Voted Ballots in a Conservative Precinct.
It’s pretty wild stuff.
Hold onto the handrails, folks. For now comes the big ride: “You would think that when something like [that] comes to light, that the board of canvassers would stop the recount and sort this out. The problem is Benson has neutered them [clerks].”
It’s pretty wild stuff.
This is a developing story and MFE will continue to report. Phil O’Halloran said, “It’s an area that MFE was on the front line during the summer in calling the passage of these horrible bills to the public’s attention.”
Michigan Fair Elections’ volunteers are working diligently to prevent these horrible election reform bills to make Michigan’s elections disintegrate into a House of Horrors. Come join us.
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The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Michigan Fair Elections. Artificial intelligence may have been used in the creation of this message or in the links referenced herein.
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