{"id":2350708,"date":"2024-10-04T09:14:56","date_gmt":"2024-10-04T13:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mi-election-officials-limit-disclosure-of-absentee-voting-data\/"},"modified":"2024-10-04T09:19:08","modified_gmt":"2024-10-04T13:19:08","slug":"mi-election-officials-limit-disclosure-of-absentee-voting-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mi-election-officials-limit-disclosure-of-absentee-voting-data\/","title":{"rendered":"MI Election Officials Limit Disclosure Of Absentee Voting Data"},"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\">18<\/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%2Fmi-election-officials-limit-disclosure-of-absentee-voting-data%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=2350708&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>The Michigan Bureau of Elections (BOE) recently announced a significant alteration in how it discloses absentee \u2062ballot records, \u200cas communicated through an email from FOIA Coordinator\u2063 Sherri Hines.\u200d Under the new policy, the BOE will cease providing certain critical data fields that are vital for election monitoring, specifically within the &#8220;Daily AV&#8221; (absentee voter) reports. Previously, these reports\u200d included\u200c information on absentee ballot\u200c applications\u2014both sent and received\u2014as \u200bwell as ballots returned by voters. The change limits the information\u200c available to \u2063only &#8220;issued \u2063but not returned&#8221; ballots and &#8220;ballots cast before Election Day,&#8221; which encompasses \u200breturned absentee ballots \u2063and early\u2064 voting.<\/p>\n<p>Organizations that focus on election integrity, such as CheckMyVote.org and Michigan Fair Elections, rely heavily on the removed data. Critics, including Phani Mantravadi, CEO of CheckMyVote, argue that the \u200dreasoning for the changes\u2014citing voter privacy\u2014does \u2063not adequately address the importance \u2064of the omitted details, like the dates ballots are sent and received, which they claim do not infringe on voter privacy. The lack of access to ballot IDs and\u200d mailing dates raises concerns about maintaining the chain of custody\u200d for\u2062 ballots.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, Marla Weber, a volunteer for Michigan Fair Elections, warned that the changes adversely affect efforts to ensure clean voter rolls, which involve identifying and flagging inaccuracies within registration records for correction\u200c by \u200dlocal clerks. The\u2064 overall sentiment among critics is one\u200d of concern regarding transparency in \u200cthe electoral process, with some questioning the\u200c motivations behind the\u200b BOE&#8217;s \u200cdecision. Phil O\u2019Halloran from the Republican Party \u200dof\u2064 Michigan&#8217;s District 9 expressed \u200dstrong disapproval, characterizing the changes as \u200da significant setback for transparency in the election process.  <\/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 id=\"viewer-9twyo109\">The Michigan Bureau of Elections (BOE) issued a critical change in its disclosure of absentee ballot records last week, according to an email from FOIA Coordinator Sherri Hines. The missive, sent to organizations with standing requests for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/georgia-sec-of-state-may-be-punishing-crimes-he-helped-create\/\" title=\"Georgia Sec. Of State May Be Punishing Crimes He Helped Create\">absentee voter data<\/a>, announced the BOE will no longer provide certain key data fields essential for election monitoring.<\/p>\n<p id=\"viewer-9twyo109\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/aa3979fb-9421-4dd8-ba7d-8ead2d346103.usrfiles.com\/ugd\/aa3979_bb5ea27a0f174c67a69e7fd7c56881e5.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">message<\/a> from the BOE, a division of the Michigan Department of State, indicated that &ldquo;Daily AV&rdquo; (absentee voter) reports &mdash; which <a href=\"https:\/\/mielections.csod.com\/clientimg\/mielections\/MaterialSource\/773dcc4f-7884-4732-aef6-a0d281c80189_Refresh_Daily_AV.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">included<\/a> data related to absentee ballot applications sent and received, as well as ballots returned by voters &mdash; will no longer be available in their current form under FOIA requests. Instead, the reports are being replaced by information limited to ballots &ldquo;issued but not returned&rdquo; and &ldquo;ballots cast before Election Day,&rdquo; which includes returned absentee ballots and early voting. (FOIA Coordinator Sherri Hines, the email sender, did not return The Federalist&rsquo;s inquiry about the message.)<\/p>\n<p id=\"viewer-9twyo109\">Organizations like CheckMyVote.org and Michigan Fair Elections rely on these figures for their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/virginia-county-stops-using-konnech-election-software-following-ceos-arrest\/\" title=\"Virginia County Stops Using Konnech Election Software Following CEO\u2019s Arrest\">election integrity work<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p id=\"viewer-9twyo109\">&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t see the reasoning behind these changes. The BOE cites voter privacy as the reason, but the date the application is sent and returned has nothing to do with voter privacy, and these dates are no longer disclosed&rdquo; for cast ballots, said Phani Mantravadi, CEO of Check My Vote.<\/p>\n<p id=\"viewer-9twyo109\">For ballots cast, &ldquo;We have no ballot ID. No date when it&rsquo;s mailed,&rdquo; Mantravadi added. &ldquo;This is a huge risk to chain of custody.&rdquo; <\/p>\n<p id=\"viewer-9twyo109\">&ldquo;This will affect all organizations who are relying on this data for election integrity work,&rdquo; warned Marla Weber, a volunteer with Michigan Fair Elections&rsquo; voter roll hygiene program, called Soles to Rolls. Participants analyze their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/william-sitton-doesnt-live-here-tracking-nevadas-dirty-voter-rolls\/\" title=\"William Sitton Doesn&#039;t Reside Here: Examining Nevada&#039;s Flawed Voter Lists\">local voter rolls<\/a> for errors and then can flag deceased, moved, duplicate, noncitizen, undeliverable, or ghost registrations for their local clerks, who are responsible for keeping the state&rsquo;s Qualified Voter File clean.<\/p>\n<p id=\"viewer-9twyo109\">All Michigan residents have access to <a href=\"http:\/\/checkmyvote.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>Checkmyvote.org<\/u><\/a>  and can check to see if dead or moved voters are still registered at their homes or nearby addresses. Citizens can then notify their local clerks of the inaccuracies.<\/p>\n<p id=\"viewer-7ytqi1741\">&ldquo;It is very difficult, nearly impossible, to challenge a voter roll based on a name or identity of the voter,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/theconservativetreehouse.com\/blog\/2024\/09\/21\/alinsky-and-lawfare-in-2024-election\/#more-264297\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">explained<\/a> The Conservative Treehouse recently. &ldquo;But 1,000 registrations to an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wake-up-america-bold-billionaire-offers-1-million-bounty-for-dominions-eric-coomers-comeuppance\/\" title=\"WAKE UP AMERICA! Bold Billionaire Offers  Million Bounty for Dominion\u2019s, Eric Coomer\u2019s Comeuppance\">empty parking lot<\/a>, vacant office building, Wal Mart or post office box are easier to identify, challenge and subsequently remove.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"viewer-8zvax145\">&lsquo;What Are You Trying to Hide?&rsquo;<\/h2>\n<p id=\"viewer-8zvax145\">The Republican Party of Michigan&rsquo;s District 9 reacted strongly to the BOE&rsquo;s announcement. Phil O&rsquo;Halloran, a practicing surgeon and the election integrity chair for District 9, described the change as a severe blow to transparency.<\/p>\n<p id=\"viewer-eq07u5277\">&ldquo;This is the digital equivalent of plastering pizza boxes on the windows at the TCF Center. What are you trying to hide, Jocelyn?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p id=\"viewer-3vecq5279\">O&rsquo;Halloran&rsquo;s reference alludes to the 2020 election <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/legal\/michigan-still-counting-votes-angry-poll-watchers-barred-in-detroit-trump-sues-idUSKBN27K2AL\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">controversy<\/a> in Detroit, where allegations of ballot mishandling and lack of transparency were hotly contested. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson&rsquo;s sudden policy shift came as the District 9 Republican Party was preparing to <a href=\"https:\/\/midistrict9.org\/elections-voting-michigan-district-9\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">launch<\/a> a ballot tracking initiative using&nbsp;CheckMyVote.org&rsquo;s&nbsp;technology in an attempt &ldquo;to track the numbers of absentee ballots to ensure they are being sent only to eligible voters.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p id=\"viewer-rooba192\">With the 2024 election only 32 days away, some activists view this change as a move to limit oversight. Without this information, groups working to monitor absentee ballots will have a harder time ensuring that only legitimate ballots are counted. The daily data on ballots returned by voters is crucial not only for election integrity but also for&nbsp;get-out-the-vote&nbsp;activities.<\/p>\n<p id=\"viewer-rooba192\"><em>Another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pureintegritymichiganelections.org\/post\/michigan-bureau-of-elections-limits-foia-data-raises-concerns-among-election-integrity-groups\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">version<\/a> of this article appeared at Pure Integrity Michigan Elections.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Patrice Johnson is chair of Pure Integrity Michigan Elections and Michigan Fair Elections, two nonprofit organizations dedicated to preserving and protecting fair and honest elections.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Michigan&#8217;s BOE changed absentee ballot record disclosures, limiting key data<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3458,"featured_media":2350710,"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\/10\/6329124109_4d38d7f09b_k.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[40373,6441,9418,3728,33427],"class_list":["post-2350708","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-absentee-voting","tag-data","tag-disclosure","tag-election","tag-mi"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/6329124109_4d38d7f09b_k.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2350708","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\/3458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2350708"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2350708\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2350710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2350708"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2350708"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2350708"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}