Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson filed a motion yesterday in federal district court, seeking to dismiss the National Voter Registration Act lawsuit filed earlier this year by Michigan voter Tony Daunt, using data and analysis from the Honest Elections Project.
Earlier this year, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson was warned of evidence that Michigan voter rolls were riddled with erroneous registrations. She chose to disregard that evidence, prompting a lawsuit. Almost simultaneously, however, Secretary Benson determined to send absentee ballot applications to every voter registration on file. At least 500,000 of those applications were returned undeliverable, and countless Michigan residents reported receiving applications for people who have long since died or moved away—precisely the problem at the heart of this litigation.
Statement from Honest Elections Project’s executive director, Jason Snead:
“Mailing ballot applications to every registered address was a clear test of the reliability of Michigan’s voter rolls—and it failed that test. Secretary Benson’s own actions have made it impossible to deny just how inaccurate Michigan’s voter rolls truly are, yet her office continues to fight a lawsuit meant to clean them up.
Democracy depends on transparency and accountability. By trying to get this case dismissed, the state of Michigan is rejecting both. Voters have the right to know precisely what their government is doing to comply with federal law and secure clean elections. And when officials fail to take these basic and mandatory steps, voters have the right to turn to the courts to defend fair and honest elections.”