Latest News from Great Lakes Wire

Election law expert: Approval of Ballot Proposal 2 'disaster' for election security

By W.J. Kennedy | Nov 9, 2022

Yesterday’s voter approval of a constitutional amendment, Prop 2, that makes numerous changes to state election laws is a “disaster for election integrity in Michigan,” says Hans von Spakovsky, manager of the Heritage Foundation’s Election Law Reform Initiative.

IRS complaint: Zuckerbucks program 'was designed to benefit the personal financial interests' of Facebook founder

By W.J. Kennedy | Nov 3, 2022

A complaint to the IRS filed by watchdog group the Center for Renewing America in September alleges that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, unlawfully deducted millions in contributions to three nonprofits that granted to money to state and local election officials.

Snead: Proposal 2 'pushes Michigan closer to being a vote-by-mail state'

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 19, 2022

A proposed constitutional amendment on the Michigan ballot undercuts the views of an overwhelming majority of voters who support photo ID requirements in elections, says election integrity advocate Jason Snead, executive director of the Honest Elections Project.

Benson's argument in Zuck Bucks lawsuit 'wrong,' attorney representing voters says

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 13, 2022

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is “wrong” in claiming that she bears no responsibility for Michigan election officials accepting millions in grants from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to underwrite the cost of the 2020 general election, an attorney representing voters in a lawsuit naming Benson says.

Judge denies Benson's motion to dismiss PILF suit over deceased names on voter rolls

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 6, 2022

A federal judge in Michigan shot down Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) to force her office to remove deceased voters from the registration rolls.

Secure MI Vote submits signatures for verification, spokesman says it 'shouldn't take that long' to process

By W.J. Kennedy | Aug 12, 2022

Secure MI Vote, the group behind a petition drive to enact voter ID and other reforms of the state’s election laws, has submitted its signatures to the Bureau of Elections for verification.

Secure MI Vote 'two weeks or so' from submitting petitions on voter integrity initiative

By W.J. Kennedy | Jul 14, 2022

Jamie Roe, spokesman for the statewide voter integrity initiative, Secure MI Vote, said that the group is “two weeks or so” from submitting its petitions to the Secretary of State’s office for verification.“We’re pretty confident at this point will have more than enough signatures to get the initiative before lawmakers,” Roe told Great Lakes Wire.In the meantime, a competing drive, Promote the Vote 2022, submitted 669,972 signatures last Monday, more than the 425,059 required.

Secure MI Vote election integrity initiatives move forward, despite missed petition deadline

By W.J. Kennedy | Jun 9, 2022

The Secure MI Vote petition drive, an election integrity initiative, is moving forward despite missing a June 1 deadline for submitting enough signed petitions to get the initiative on the fall ballot.

Supporters say Michigan petition drive to enact new voter laws is ahead of schedule

By W.J. Kennedy | Dec 3, 2021

A petition drive to end run Michigan Gov. Gretchen Witmer’s opposition to a variety of election laws is ahead of schedule, according to a spokesman for Secure MI Vote, the citizens group behind the effort.

Judicial Watch threatens states, counties with lawsuits over 'impossible' number of inactive voters

By W.J. Kennedy | Nov 17, 2021

Government watchdog group Judicial Watch is putting 14 counties and five states on notice that they must clean up their voter rolls or face lawsuits in federal court.

Michigan Republicans have chance to work around Whitmer's veto of election bills via Secure MI Vote petition

By W.J. Kennedy | Nov 4, 2021

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s recent veto of election legislation approved by the Republican-controlled state Legislature is far from a death knell for a broader range of election reform measures that, among other election law changes, tighten voter ID requirements and ban local election officials from accepting private funds.

Wall Street Journal: State investigations into alleged election fraud not 'prelude to power grab'

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 14, 2021

The firing of election workers in Fulton County Georgia, and the charging of three with election fraud in Michigan, shows that election fraud is real and worthy of investigation and corrective measures, writes the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board.

Secure MI Vote petition approved by elections panel, polls show voters favor election safeguards

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 1, 2021

Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, a Democrat, blasted the petition by the nonprofit Secure MI Vote that was approved this week by the Board of Canvassers. The petition would, among other voting practice changes, tighten the procedures covering voter ID for in-person voting and absentee ballots.

Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission 'resembles a bad sitcom'

By W.J. Kennedy | Sep 22, 2021

Congressional Democrats want to remove congressional redistricting from the states and turn the job over to independent, bipartisan panels.

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