Several Republican Senate candidates in Michigan could soon be subject to a state investigation for alleged ballot tampering and fraud.
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The complaint to the Michigan Board of State Canvassers follows “an initial and limited review” of the petitions and specifically names four candidates: former U.S. Reps. Mike Rogers of Brighton, Justin Amash of Cascade Township and Peter Meijer of Grand Rapids Township, as well as Grosse Pointe businessman Sandy Pensler. Meijer withdrew from the race at the end of April.
“The apparent fraud that has come to light calls for an immediate investigation into the nomination petitions of the Republican Senate candidates,” said Lavora Barnes, chair of the Democratic Party of Michigan.
The complaint alleges:
- “Clear full-page circulation fraud with evidence that all lines of the petition were completed by the same person.
- Voters’ names appear on multiple candidates’ petitions in different handwriting with errors in addresses and spelling.
- Voters’ names appear more than once in a single candidate’s petition, in different handwriting with errors in addresses and spelling.
- Evidence of a round-robin system, citing examples of signature gatherers for different campaigns taking turns signing candidate petitions based on names on a voter list.
- Visible circulator handwriting and mismatched signatures.”
Republican petition fraud has become a huge problem in Michigan. In 2022, five Republican gubernatorial candidates were disqualified from the ballot due to petition fraud. Democrats have provided 29 pages of evidence and documents to support their fraud allegations.
If Republicans were to be removed from the Senate primary, it would create chaos that would help Democrats retain the seat of retiring Sen. Debbie Stabenow. The Democrats will likely keep the seat anyway, but with the Republican Party already bankrupt and in disarray, the last thing they need is for some of their Senate candidates to be disqualified before the August primaries.
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