RNC Sues Michigan Secretary of State Over Voter Eligibility Dispute

The Republican National Committee has filed a lawsuit in the Michigan Court of Claims, accusing Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson of permitting non-residents to vote in the state’s elections. RNC Chairman Joe Gruters stated, “Individuals who have never lived in the United States, let alone Michigan, should not have a say in Michigan’s elections.” He emphasized that Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is ignoring the Michigan Constitution by allowing people who don’t live in Michigan to vote in Michigan. The committee claims the Michigan Constitution allows only Michigan residents meeting state and local residency requirements to vote in Michigan elections.

The lawsuit alleges Benson issued an election manual violating state law by permitting voters who have never lived in Michigan and sometimes the United States to cast a ballot. The RNC is also challenging a section of Michigan law that allows some non-residents to vote in violation of the Michigan Constitution. This legal action follows a similar case brought by the RNC in Arizona, where the committee seeks to ensure only eligible Arizona residents vote in Arizona elections. Another related legal effort is unfolding in New Jersey, where the RNC accuses state leaders of failing to provide public records related to voter roll maintenance.

Gruters stated, “New Jerseyans deserve to know whether their voter rolls are accurate,” and added, “Clean and transparent voter lists are essential for trust in our elections. The RNC is suing to obtain these records and ensure the state follows the law.” The committee says it has issued 18 separate record requests about New Jersey’s voter rolls, alleging Secretary of State Tahesha Way violated federal law by not providing documents. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 requires states to maintain accurate voter registration lists and remove ineligible individuals from their voter rolls.

The law also requires states to retain records for two years, which is why the RNC seeks documents from March 2023 to present. The committee says the case could extend to other Democratic-controlled states as the RNC continues a broad effort to examine voter-roll maintenance across the country. The RNC sent record requests in March to officials in 48 states and Washington, D.C., seeking information on how voter rolls are managed. Former RNC Chair Michael Whatley stated, “The RNC is once again taking action to make our elections more secure,” adding, “Voters have a right to know that their states are properly maintaining voter rolls and quickly acting to clean voter registration lists by removing ineligible voters.”

Whatley said, “If states unlawfully block our requests, or if we discover that states have failed to accurately maintain their voter rolls, the RNC stands ready to act.” The committee cites a recent win in North Carolina, where the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled that allowing non-residents to vote in that state’s elections violated the North Carolina Constitution’s residency requirement. Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics, and environmental issues.

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