Press Releases
Huizenga, MI Republicans to Secretary of State Benson: Michigan’s Voter Rolls Need to be Cleaned Up
Washington,
December 13, 2021
Today, Congressman Bill Huizenga (R-MI) released a letter sent to Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on Friday requesting Michigan’s top election official clarify the processes that were in place prior to the 2020 election to authenticate ballots and the processes currently in place for future elections. The Huizenga-led letter was signed by all the Republican members of the Michigan Congressional Delegation. Huizenga and the Republicans write, “Similar to the request made by Ranking Member Davis, please respond with a description of the processes you have in place to certify that only lawful ballots are cast and counted, including a detailed explanation of the processes that were in place for authenticating ballots in the 2020 election. Regarding the 2020 election specifically, please also respond detailing the processes that were in place at that time for removing deceased and ineligible individuals from Michigan’s voter registration rolls. Lastly, please detail any changes you will make to your office’s processes moving forward to guarantee that the voter registration rolls are regularly updated, specifically the removal of deceased individuals. “Properly maintaining the voter rolls in Michigan is critical to ensuring election integrity,” added Congressman Huizenga. “As our state’s top election official, Secretary Benson has the responsibility to make sure only eligible voters are casting ballots. It is imperative that Michigan has the proper policies in place to prevent illegal votes from being cast. This starts by making sure the voter rolls do not include individuals who are deceased, individuals who no longer reside in Michigan, or individuals who are not eligible to vote in Michigan.” “It’s incredibly disturbing that 26,000 deceased Michiganders are still registered to vote in Michigan,” said Congresswoman Lisa McClain. “We must ensure every legal vote is counted and there is no fraud in our elections. I urge Secretary Benson to remove deceased voters from our voter rolls, so our elections are secure.” “During this time when our political discourse is incredibly fraught and divisive, it is more important than ever that the American people have faith in our democracy,” said Congressman Peter Meijer. “This starts with protecting our fair, free, safe, and secure elections. We must ensure that our voter lists are properly maintained and that only eligible voters can participate in future elections. I look forward to learning about Secretary Benson’s plans to uphold this important responsibility in Michigan.” “It is critical that we restore peoples’ faith in the integrity of our elections. Maintaining an accurate and updated list of eligible voters is a key component of secure elections, and we are troubled by reports that thousands of deceased voters remain on Michigan’s rolls. We echo our colleague Ranking Member Rodney Davis in calling for Secretary of State Benson to address these concerns immediately,” said Congressman Tim Walberg. “When folks in Michigan cast their ballot in local, state, and federal elections, they should be confident their vote is legally counted and that our elections are administered fairly,” said Congressman Fred Upton. “Maintaining clean and accurate voter rolls is critical to safe and secure elections, and helps ensure only registered Michiganders can vote on Election Day. We can all agree that folks who have moved away or passed away should be promptly removed from voter lists. This is just common sense.” “Election security and integrity depends on having an updated and accurate list of voters, and I hope these concerns will be addressed quickly,” said Congressman John Moolenaar. “Ensuring every vote was legal - and every legal vote is counted - is paramount to upholding the integrity of our Nation’s elections,” said Congressman Jack Bergman. “Failure to properly maintain our voter rolls in Michigan casts doubt on the process, and it’s imperative Secretary of State Benson ensures the integrity of our state's elections.” The full letter to Secretary Benson is available here. |