Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has announced felony charges against four residents of St. Clair Shores for allegedly voting twice in the August 2024 Primary Election. Additionally, three assistant clerks from the same city face charges for purportedly altering voter records to misrepresent absentee ballots as rejected instead of received.

The individuals charged with double voting are Frank Prezzato, 68; Stacy Kramer, 56; Douglas Kempkins, Jr., 44; and Geneva O’Day, 62. Each faces one count of Voting Absentee and In-Person and one count of Offering to Vote More than Once. The assistant clerks—Patricia Guciardo, 73; Emily McClintock, 42; and Molly Brasure, 31—are accused of Falsifying Election Returns or Records among other charges.

Nessel stated: “Despite common talking points by those who seek to instill doubt in our electoral process, double voting in Michigan is extremely rare. There are procedures in place to ensure this does not happen and that is why it so rarely does."

The case arose when Prezzato, Kramer, Kempkins, and O’Day reportedly voted in person after being informed their absentee ballots had already been received. Despite warnings from the Electronic Poll Book system about prior absentee votes, election workers were allegedly directed by Guciardo, McClintock, and Brasure to issue new ballots.

The clerks are alleged to have altered the State Qualified Voter File without ensuring corresponding absentee ballots were removed from counting boards. Consequently, both sets of votes were counted.

St Clair Shores Clerk Abrial Barret reported these incidents following the primary election. The matter was referred to the Department of Attorney General by the Michigan Department of State on August 15. While Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido initially decided against filing charges after an investigation by his office, Nessel's department found probable cause for prosecution through its own inquiry.

“My office has been committed to pursuing, investigating and when necessary charging cases of election fraud,” Nessel emphasized. “Election integrity matters.”

Charges have been filed in the 40th District Court in St. Clair Shores with arraignment dates pending.