Trump sways convention races for Michigan AG, elections jobs
Former President Donald Trumpโs extraordinary effort to mold Republicansโ 2022 tickets will be put to the test this weekend in Michigan, where thousands of party activists will endorse candidates including for attorney general and secretary of state.
Michigan AG to probe people making money off election claims
Michiganโs attorney general is investigating after a Republican-led state legislative committee said people are making baseless allegations about 2020 presidential election results in a northern Michigan county to raise money or publicity for their own ends.
AP Interview: Michigan official warns of democracy threats
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says politicians lying about fraud in the 2020 presidential election, Republican efforts to make voting more difficult and the continued spread of disinformation leave her deeply concerned about the future of American democracy.
Democrats launch Senate battle for expanded voting rights
Democrats and Republicans both see the legislation, which touches on nearly every aspect of the electoral process, as fundamental to their partiesโ political futures. Republicans charge the bill would strip power from the states and cement an unfair political advantage for Democrats. It would expand voting by mail, promote early voting and give states money to track absentee ballots. Some measures would limit mail voting, cut hours at polling places and impose restrictions that Democrats argue amount to the greatest assault on voting rights since the Jim Crow era. The bill has already run into roadblocks that have become familiar since Democrats began their narrow control of the Senate two months ago.
Democrats launch Senate battle for expanded voting rights
Democrats and Republicans both see the legislation, which touches on nearly every aspect of the electoral process, as fundamental to their partiesโ political futures. Republicans charge the bill would strip power from the states and cement an unfair political advantage for Democrats. It would expand voting by mail, promote early voting and give states money to track absentee ballots. Some measures would limit mail voting, cut hours at polling places and impose restrictions that Democrats argue amount to the greatest assault on voting rights since the Jim Crow era. The bill has already run into roadblocks that have become familiar since Democrats began their narrow control of the Senate two months ago.
Voter outreach led to big drop in rejected mail ballots
In one of the most striking instances, Wisconsin saw both a decline in rejection rate and the overall number of ballots tossed out. For instance, a GOP push in Georgia would eliminate no-excuse absentee voting, requiring people to give a reason. In nine, it found the mailed ballot rejection rate declined. Overall, about 0.34% of absentee ballots cast were rejected, compared with roughly 1% in the primary. Just over 15,000 ballots were rejected there in November, just shy of 0.5% of absentee ballots cast and down slightly from the primary.
Despite smooth election, GOP leaders seek vote restrictions
Republicans in key states that voted for President-elect Joe Biden already are pushing for new restrictions, especially to absentee voting. President Donald Trump has been unrelenting in his attacks on mail voting as he continues to challenge the legitimacy of an election he lost. They are vowing to crack down on mail ballots and threatening to roll back other steps that have made it easier for people to vote. An estimated 108 million people voted before Election Day, either through early in-person voting or by mailing or dropping off absentee ballots. Previous elections have shown that voters appreciate mail voting, no matter their party affiliation.
Michigan Secretary of State preparing audits to affirm confidence in 2020 election
Michigan Secretary of State preparing audits to affirm confidence in 2020 election Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is preparing to conduct multiple statewide audits of the 2020 election to affirm public confidence in its integrity. It comes as she and others face attacks from President Trump and his allies over unfounded claims of fraud. Secretary Benson joined "CBSN AM" to discuss.
cbsnews.comBiden transition gets govt OK after Trump out of options
But Trump did tweet that he was directing his team to cooperate on the transition. The president had grown increasingly frustrated with the flailing tactics of his legal team. Some Trump allies had expressed hope that state lawmakers could intervene in selecting Republican electors in states that do not certify. The campaign, in its filings, asked for urgent consideration so it could challenge the state election results before they are certified next month. Pennsylvania county election boards voted Monday, the state deadline, on whether to certify election results to the Department of State.
EXPLAINER: What's with all the election audits?
Then there is Georgia, where election officials did a high-profile audit of the presidential race as required by state law. It began when two Republican election board members of the district that includes majority-Black Detroit, voted to block a routine certification of the votes. At most, election officials have cited routine instances of human error or minor technical problems. Trumpโs own election security agency declared the 2020 presidential election to have been the most secure in history. At this point it's unlikely that any audit in any state could uncover problems large enough to sway election results.
Poll watchers emerge as a flashpoint in battle over ballots
With a few reports of overly aggressive poll watchers, election officials said they were carefully balancing access with the need to minimize disruptions. Voting advocates noted the restrictions applied to both Republican and Democratic poll watchers. โThere are specific rules in Pennsylvania about where poll watchers can stand and what they can do,โ said Suzanne Almeida, interim director of Common Cause Pennsylvania. This is not about disadvantaging one party over another.โThe number of poll watchers allowed at an election office varies. Also Thursday, a Michigan judge dismissed a Trump campaign lawsuit over whether enough Republican poll watchers had access to the handling of absentee ballots.
EXPLAINER: What's happening with poll watchers?
WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH POLL WATCHERS? The campaign of President Donald Trump says Republican poll watchers are being improperly denied access to observe the counting of ballots. Tasked this year with monitoring a record number of mail ballots, partisan poll watchers are designated by a political party or campaign to report any concerns they may have. With a few reports of overly aggressive poll watchers, election officials said they were carefully balancing access with the need to minimize disruptions. Poll watchers have been a central element of legal battles that have erupted in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nevada.
Poll watchers emerge as a flashpoint in battle over ballots
With a few reports of overly aggressive poll watchers, election officials said they were carefully balancing access with the need to minimize disruptions. Voting advocates noted the restrictions applied to both Republican and Democratic poll watchers. โThere are specific rules in Pennsylvania about where poll watchers can stand and what they can do,โ said Suzanne Almeida, interim director of Common Cause Pennsylvania. This is not about disadvantaging one party over another.โThe number of poll watchers allowed at an election office varies. Also Thursday, a Michigan judge dismissed a Trump campaign lawsuit over whether enough Republican poll watchers had access to the handling of absentee ballots.
With counting winding down, Trump team pushes legal fights
A family visits the Supreme Court in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020. Scott Applewhite)WASHINGTON โ Judges in Georgia and Michigan quickly dismissed Trump campaign lawsuits Thursday, undercutting a campaign legal strategy to attack the integrity of the voting process in states where the result could mean President Donald Trumpโs defeat. โBut we think thereโll be a lot of litigation because we can't have an election stolen like this,โ Trump said. Campaign officials said earlier they were considering similar challenges in a dozen other counties around the state. Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller said additional legal action was expected and would be focused on giving campaign officials access to where ballots were being counted.
Photos: Trump team wants more Michigan vote inspectors
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)Maceo Rhodes, 34, talks with a Trump supporter at the counting center. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)A woman gives the thumbs down at the counting center. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)People wait to check in at the vote-counting center. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)An election worker tries to explain to election challengers that the center is at capacity. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
latimes.comElection officials scramble to count ballots in key states
Unlike in previous years, states were contending with an avalanche of mail ballots driven by the global pandemic. Every election, whatโs reported on election night are unofficial results, and the counting of votes extends past Election Day. This year, with so many mail ballots and close races in key states, counting every vote was expected to take more time. โThese ballots were cast by tens of thousands of Michigan citizens who have the right to have their vote counted. Slowing the process down was the fact that local election officials could not begin processing and scanning ballots ahead of Election Day, as most states did.
Sports venues across country in play on Election Day
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said "I'm grateful for our sports partners in Detroit," Benson said Tuesday night at the home of the Detroit Lions. "They really led the way for sports teams across the country to play a critical role in providing the resources we needed to run the election successfully this year. โI'm grateful for our sports partners in Detroit," Benson said Tuesday night at the home of the Lions. โThey really led the way for sports teams across the country to play a critical role in providing the resources we needed to run the election successfully this year. Meanwhile, many Major League Baseball and NHL teams also put their stadiums and arenas in play on Election Day.
Trump sues in 3 states, laying ground for contesting outcome
Every election, results reported on election night are unofficial and the counting of ballots extends past Election Day. The Georgia lawsuit filed in Chatham County essentially asks a judge to ensure the state laws are being followed on absentee ballots. Campaign officials said they were considering peppering a dozen other counties around the state with similar claims around absentee ballots. Trump, addressing supporters at the White House early Wednesday, talked about taking the undecided race to the Supreme Court. Ohio State University election law professor Edward Foley wrote on Twitter Wednesday: โThe valid votes will be counted.
Millions of mailed ballots not yet returned in key states
FILE - In this Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, file photo, an election worker places a vote-by-mail ballot into an official ballot drop box outside of an early voting site, in Miami. Just days before the presidential election, millions of mail-in ballots have still not been returned in key battleground states. Many of those are due in county offices by Tuesday, Nov. 3, but the latest Postal Service delivery data suggests its too late for voters to drop their ballots in the mail. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)
Millions of mail ballots not yet returned in key states
Just days before the presidential election, millions of mail-in ballots have still not been returned in key battleground states. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)ATLANTA โ Just days before the presidential election, millions of mail ballots have yet to be returned in key battleground states, and election officials warn that time is running out for voters who want to avoid a polling place on Election Day. At least 35 million mail ballots had been returned or accepted as of early Wednesday, according to data collected by The Associated Press. That surpasses the 33.3 million total mail ballots returned during the 2016 election, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Yet an estimated 1.9 million ballots were still outstanding in Florida, along with 962,000 in Nevada, 850,000 in Michigan and 1 million in Pennsylvania.
Michigan bans open carry of guns at Election Day polling places on heels of Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot
Michigan's secretary of state on Friday banned the open carry of guns at polling places and other official voting locations on Election Day in the state, a move that comes on the heels of an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Earlier this month, federal authorities arrested six men in connection with allegedly plotting to kidnap Whitmer, with one of those defendants allegedly saying the group would try the governor for "treason." The alleged plot to kidnap Whitmer, and discussions about also kidnapping Virginia Gov. Whitmer and Nessel have said Trump's rhetoric could have played a role in sparking the alleged plot. Trump has continued attacking Whitmer for her policies even after the alleged kidnap plot was exposed.
cnbc.comBiden campaign names national voter protection director
DETROIT Joe Biden has hired a national director for voter protection, a role his campaign says will focus broadly on voter rights, including the disenfranchisement of people of color amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Martin, who has a strong background in voter protection work, previously worked as chief operating officer of the Democratic National Committee and the DNC's director of civic engagement and voter protection. The push for voter protection rights has only intensified in recent weeks, after some primary elections, including Milwaukee's on April 7, sparked concern that voters were forced to wait in long lines to cast their ballots. Voter protection will play a central role in Biden's overall election strategy, the campaign said, noting that several states over the past few years have passed laws relating to voter ID and purges of voter rolls that could make it harder for people to vote. Last year, Georgia made national headlines when it purged nearly 309,000 voter registrations from the states voting rolls.
Trump threatens to hold up funding to Michigan and Nevada for expanding vote-by-mail access
President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to withhold funding from Michigan and Nevada for expanding their mail-in voting services in an effort to avoid crowded polling centers during the coronavirus pandemic. This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State," Trump tweeted. "I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!" It's unclear what "funding" Trump is referring to. Shortly after that tweet, Trump unloaded on Nevada for expanding mail-in voting to carry out the state's congressional primaries on June 9.
cnbc.comTrump threatens funds for states easing voting in pandemic
As states have shifted to remote voting, following health officials recommendations on safety, Trump has denigrated the practice and sought to limit access. Michigan sends absentee ballots to 7.7 million people ahead of Primaries and the General Election, Trump tweeted Wednesday morning. It was not clear exactly what funds Trump was referencing, but the states are paying for the voting changes with federal aid intended to support elections during the pandemic. And even though Trump's campaign encourages absentee voting, along with several state Republican Party officials, GOP voters, like Trump, have expressed growing skepticism. Democrats noted Trump seems more concerned about mail-in voting in battleground states and has not threatened Republican-dominated states that are doing the same thing as Michigan.
Michigan sends mail-in vote applications to all registered voters
DETROIT (Reuters) - Michigan will send absentee ballot applications to all registered voters, a state official announced on Tuesday, as the state prepares to hold the Nov. 3 election largely by mail due to the coronavirus outbreak. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, said 1.3 million permanent absentee voters are normally mailed an application before each election, but that would be extended to all 7.7 million Michigan voters. By mailing applications, we have ensured that no Michigander has to choose between their health and their right to vote, Benson, a Democrat, said in a statement. Voters will have to return an application by mail or email to receive a ballot to vote in the Aug. 4 state primary or the Nov. 3 general election. Conservatives including Trump have said that increasing use of voting by mail could increase the risk of fraud in elections.
feeds.reuters.comMichigan to mail absentee ballot applications to all voters for November election
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said the step announced as the state continues to confront the coronavirus pandemic ensures no one has to to choose between their health and their right to vote. Her office mailed absentee ballot applications to voters in jurisdictions with local elections earlier this month, and there was record turnout.
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