By Jessica Mathews & Jon King / news@whmi.com


Election fraud and integrity was the main focus of a virtual office hours event hosted by a local lawmaker.

Republican State Senator Lana Theis of Brighton Township hosted the event Monday afternoon with the majority of the time spent addressing allegations with the election process and maintaining or reasserting confidence in that process. Theis was joined by State Senator Ed McBroom who chairs the GOP-controlled Senate Oversight Committee and Michigan Senate President Aric Nesbitt, who has called for a complete audit of the state’s election. The online event came at roughly the same time Monday that the Michigan Board of Canvassers certified the state’s election results. Theis, who is a member of the Oversight Committee, said that irregularities ran the gamut from human error to software and equipment failures, but that future reforms to election law are being looked at.

One attendee asked about the election fraud allegations and if there was any evidence. Theis responded to say she’s not the one making the allegations and has not signed any affidavit, adding it’s not the responsibility of the legislature to advocate on behalf of a particular campaign but make sure elections are transparent, fair and accurate in their oversight positions. The Oversight Committee is expected to hear testimony next week from citizens with firsthand accounts who believe they witnessed irregularities or fraud or other instances that need to be brought to attention in the process of looking at future reforms on election law. Should any evidence of criminal wrongdoing turn up, it was stated that would be passed along to the proper entity.

Senator McBroom commented that in every election there are always small groups of people who allege irregularities, but it was a much larger group this time so he thinks it behooves the legislature and others to work overtime and assure people the system worked. The Senate Oversight Committee will be taking testimony from those who have signed affidavits alleging irregularities next week. McBroom said some are pretty frivolous but others are substantial and need to be taken seriously so the Committee is doing its due-diligence. It was stated that testimony from the Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and clerks in Detroit should take place in two or three weeks.