{"id":2347920,"date":"2024-10-01T08:21:57","date_gmt":"2024-10-01T12:21:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-requires-clerks-record-signature-verification-after-suit\/"},"modified":"2024-10-01T08:25:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T12:25:00","slug":"michigan-requires-clerks-record-signature-verification-after-suit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-requires-clerks-record-signature-verification-after-suit\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan Requires Clerks Record Signature Verification After Suit"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmichigan-requires-clerks-record-signature-verification-after-suit%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2347920&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn \u2062Benson \u200dhas updated her guidance to\u200d election clerks after the Republican National Committee (RNC) filed a lawsuit alleging that\u200d thousands of improperly processed ballots were \u200ccounted in the state&#8217;s primary. The\u200b RNC claimed that Benson&#8217;s previous instructions allowed ballots to be \u200dcounted without the required markers indicating that signatures had \u2063been verified. In response to the lawsuit, Benson advised clerks to\u200b ensure that signatures on returned \u200cabsentee ballots \u200dmatch the signatures on file,\u2064 marking verification accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>The \u200bRNC, along with the Michigan Republican Party and \u200cChesterfield Township Clerk Cindy Berry, contended that the lack of signature verification led to the counting of many improperly marked ballots, particularly in Warren, a \u2062suburb of Detroit. RNC\u2064 Chair Michael Whatley emphasized the importance of safeguarding absentee ballot processes to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iowa-judge-rules-against-libertarian-candidates-keeping-their-names-off-the-ballot-for-congress-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Iowa judge rules against Libertarian candidates, keeping their names off the ballot for Congress - Washington Examiner\">maintain election integrity<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Following the updated guidance, Whatley expressed approval, stating that it represented a significant improvement\u200c for election\u200c integrity in Michigan. The RNC also highlighted\u200b its recent \u2064legal victories in other battleground\u200b states, including North Carolina, where\u200d similar challenges were made regarding voting procedures.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has updated guidance to clerks after the Republican National Committee claimed in a lawsuit that officials counted thousands of improperly processed ballots.<\/p>\n<p>The RNC sued Benson earlier this month, claiming her guidance caused officials to count &ldquo;thousands&rdquo; of ballots in the state&rsquo;s primary without the legally-required <a href=\"https:\/\/legislature.mi.gov\/Laws\/MCL?objectName=mcl-168-765\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">markers<\/a> showing signatures were verified, as The Federalist previously <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/09\/13\/rnc-sues-michigan-secretary-of-state-claiming-thousands-of-improperly-processed-ballots\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>. Benson has since updated her guidance to clerks, telling them to indicate signature verification. The RNC said in a press <a href=\"https:\/\/gop.com\/press-release\/rnc-secures-two-major-election-integrity-wins-in-battleground-states\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">release<\/a> this was &ldquo;in response&rdquo; to its suit.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The clerk must verify that the signature on a returned absent voter ballot envelope matches the voter&rsquo;s signature on file,&rdquo; reads the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/sos\/-\/media\/Project\/Websites\/sos\/01mcalpine\/Absent-Voter-Ballot-Processing.pdf?rev=8a54fd7bd281414aa1268c424d2def04&amp;hash=722FE73615CE990BE05CF3921BBE51D0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">updated<\/a> guidance. &ldquo;Approval can be expressed by completing and initialing the portion of the &lsquo;clerk section&rsquo; indicating that the signature was verified.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Benson&rsquo;s guidance <a href=\"https:\/\/prod-static.gop.com\/media\/documents\/4889-4151-6003_v1_Verified_Complaint_as-filed_in_MiCOC_1726003429.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">previously<\/a> did not tell clerks to mark signature verification before counting ballots. So the RNC, the Michigan Republican Party, and Chesterfield Township Clerk Cindy Berry <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/09\/13\/rnc-sues-michigan-secretary-of-state-claiming-thousands-of-improperly-processed-ballots\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sued<\/a> Benson earlier this month claiming this caused officials to count &ldquo;thousands&rdquo; of improperly-marked ballots in the Detroit suburb of Warren, as The Federalist previously reported.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are suing to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rnc-sues-mi-sos-over-thousands-of-improperly-processed-ballots\/\" title=\"RNC Sues MI SOS Over &#039;Thousands&#039; Of Improperly Processed Ballots\">protect absentee ballot safeguards<\/a> in Michigan which will help make it easy to vote and hard to cheat,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/gop.com\/press-release\/rnc-sues-michigan-officials-for-failing-to-verify-absentee-ballots\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said<\/a> RNC Chair Michael Whatley at the time.<\/p>\n<p>He celebrated Benson&rsquo;s recent change to the guidance on X.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Great election integrity news out of battleground Michigan. Clerks were counting mail ballots without proof of signature verification, opening the door to fraud. The<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/GOP\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> @GOP<\/a> sued,&rdquo; Whatley wrote. &ldquo;Result? Ballots will now only be counted after proof that signatures are verified &mdash; a key win.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<div lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<p>Great election integrity news out of battleground Michigan.<\/p>\n<p>Clerks were counting mail ballots without proof of signature verification, opening the door to fraud. The <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@GOP<\/a> sued.<\/p>\n<p>Result? Ballots will now only be counted after proof that signatures are verified &mdash; a key win.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&mdash; Michael Whatley (@ChairmanWhatley) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ChairmanWhatley\/status\/1839763357634834818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 27, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><\/span> <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The RNC announced its victory in Michigan at the same time as its victory in North Carolina, where it <a href=\"https:\/\/gop.com\/press-release\/rnc-files-fourth-lawsuit-against-ncsbe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">challenged<\/a> the use of digital student IDs to vote, according to the latest release.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Voter ID and signature verification are important safeguards to prevent cheating and fraud,&rdquo; Whatley said in the release. &ldquo;These critical election integrity victories will help voters cast their ballots with confidence.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Whatley said both states can potentially decide November&rsquo;s election.<\/p>\n<p>The RNC <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/03\/13\/michigan-has-more-registered-voters-than-eligible-citizens-in-53-counties-says-rnc-lawsuit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sued<\/a> Benson in March, claiming there were more registered voters than eligible citizens in the majority of Michigan&rsquo;s counties, as The Federalist previously reported. The same month, the group <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/06\/13\/judge-michigan-secretary-of-states-lax-ballot-signature-guidance-is-unconstitutional\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sued<\/a> her again for telling clerks to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/georgia-judge-orders-audit-of-147k-fulton-county-absentee-ballots\/\" title=\"Georgia Judge Orders Audit of 147K Fulton County Absentee Ballots\">review absentee ballots<\/a> with a &ldquo;presumption of validity.&rdquo; A judge struck down those guidelines in June. The RNC also claimed in May that Benson did not clean <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/29\/from-dead-registrants-to-inactive-mail-voters-complaints-highlight-michigans-voter-roll-mess\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">92,000<\/a> inactive registrants from the state voter rolls.<\/p>\n<p>The Federalist reached out to Benson&rsquo;s office, but its representatives did not respond with comment in time for publication. <\/p>\n<p><em>For more election news and updates, visit&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/electionbriefing.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">electionbriefing.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Logan Washburn is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawsuit-clark-county-keeps-commercial-addresses-on-voter-rolls\/\" title=\"Lawsuit: Clark County Keeps Commercial Addresses On Voter Rolls\">staff writer covering election integrity<\/a>. He graduated from Hillsdale College, served as Christopher Rufo&#8217;s editorial assistant, and has bylines in The Wall Street Journal, The Tennessean, and The Daily Caller. Logan is originally from Central Oregon but now lives in rural Michigan.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Benson updates clerks&#8217; guidance after RNC lawsuit on ballots<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":507,"featured_media":2347922,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/The_Michigan_Capitol_Building_with_the_Catalpa_Tree_in_Blossom-scaled.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[23356,4585,4601,42067],"class_list":["post-2347920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-clerks","tag-lawsuit","tag-michigan","tag-signature-verification"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/The_Michigan_Capitol_Building_with_the_Catalpa_Tree_in_Blossom-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2347920","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/507"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2347920"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2347920\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2347922"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2347920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2347920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2347920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}