Joe Biden must win Michigan. Donald Trump is currently performing well in the Sun Belt. If he wins Nevada, Arizona, and Georgia, he only needs to win one Great Lakes State. He has a small lead in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. In these states, every vote counts. If the past is any indication — and it usually is — Democrats will do anything to keep these three states in their column.
It was a big deal when, this week, a Michigan court ruled against Democratic Secretary Jocelyn Benson’s instructions on the signature verification of absentee votes.
Benson, who has been at the center of an election integrity firestorm in Michigan for many years, initially told election officials in 2021 to assume, rather than confirm, signatures on absentee votes for the 2022 elections. This sparked an immediate legal backlash from the Michigan Republican Party. The Michigan Republican Party won their legal challenge, and the courts declared Benson’s directive unconstitutional, ruling that officials were required to verify signatures on ballots. Benson didn’t seem to learn from her mistake, as she did it again in 2023, quietly reinstating the controversial policy behind closed doors.
Her directive prompted swift legal action by the Republican National Committee (RNC), the Michigan Republican Party, and the National Republican Congressional Committee. Michigan Court of Claims judge Christopher Yates then ruled that an initial presumption of validity for signature verification of absentee voting applications and envelopes violated the Constitution and Michigan laws.
“This RNC victory in court confirms that mail ballot protections are an important part of Michigan’s Constitution. Courts have rightly rejected the Secretary of State’s attempts to circumvent these rules, showing that her attacks against election integrity are without substance,” RNC chairman Michael Whatley stated in a Thursday statement. “This victory is the latest in our fight to promote fair, transparent elections in the Great Lakes State.”
Michigan Republican Party Chair Pete Hoekstra has criticized Benson’s selective enforcement of the law.
He said that Secretary of State Benson could not choose which election laws to enforce and which to ignore. “It’s just common sense that the signatures of absentee voters should and must be verified. Michigan is critical to the path to victory in November. We must enforce and protect all of our election laws to maintain the confidence we have in our system.”
Benson’s brazen actions reveal the extent to which Democrats will go to manipulate an election, especially in battleground states. Her directive demonstrates a flagrant disregard for the integrity of elections. She tried it twice, despite the court rulings against her. This shows that people will continue to try and manipulate elections despite any court rulings.
