The Republican National Committee filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Michigan Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, saying that her office has not maintained accurate voter rolls.
The RNC lawsuit says that Michigan’s mismanagement undermines election integrity and allows ineligible voters to cast ballots. Benson is accused of violating the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).
“Election integrity starts with clean voter rolls, and that’s why the National Voter Registration Act requires state officials to keep their rolls accurate and up-to-date,” new RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said. “Jocelyn Benson has failed to follow the NVRA, leaving Michigan with inflated and inaccurate voter rolls ahead of the 2024 election.”
According to the lawsuit, at least 53 counties in Michigan have more active registered voters than adult citizens over the age of 18. According to the RNC, the number of counties with registration rates above 100% ballooned after 2020, when only one county had that rate.
The suit also said that 23 counties have voter-registration rates of over 90% of eligible adults registered, which is far above the average national and statewide rate.
The suit says, “The RNC and its members are concerned that Defendants’ failure to comply with the NVRA’s voter-list maintenance obligations undermines the integrity of elections by increasing the opportunity for ineligible voters or voters intent on fraud to cast ballots.”
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, the suit says that the registration rates were calculated using Census Bureau data. It was filed days after new leadership, backed by former President Donald Trump, took the reins at the RNC.
“Michigan’s impossibly high registration rates, large rates of inactive registered voters, low numbers of address confirmations, and low numbers of removals indicate an ongoing, systemic problem with its voter list maintenance effort violates federal law and jeopardizes the integrity of the State’s upcoming elections,” the suit says.
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Benson described the lawsuit as a publicity stunt.
“Let’s call this what it is: a PR campaign masquerading as a meritless lawsuit filled with baseless accusations that seek to diminish people’s faith in the security of our elections,” she said. “Shame on anyone who abuses the legal process to sow seeds of doubt in our democracy.”
Michigan will be one of the key states to watch in November as polls show a tight race between Trump and President Joe Biden. Biden’s support in the state has faltered somewhat as he faces protests from Muslim-majority areas upset with his handling of the war between Israel and Hamas.