Waterford Today

LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, who served as Michigan’s secretary of state from 2011 to 2018, expressed her strong opposition to Senate Bills 603 and 604, which aim to eliminate alleged fraud as a reason to request a recount of election results.

Johnson highlighted the importance of maintaining the current provisions in Michigan election law that allow local officials to investigate potential fraud and illegal activities during recounts. She emphasized the significance of bipartisan county boards of canvassers in ensuring fairness and oversight in elections, stating, “Boards of canvassers by definition are bipartisan, with two Democrat and two Republican members, to provide fairness in oversight of our elections.”

Regarding the purpose of a recount, Johnson stressed, “The point of a recount is to ensure the results of an election are correct and accurate and to give people confidence in those results.” She raised concerns about the existing vulnerabilities in Michigan's electoral system, citing issues such as the high voter registration rate compared to the state's voting-age population and the lack of a robust mechanism to prevent multiple-state voting.

In advocating for the preservation of the rights to investigate allegations of election fraud during recounts, Johnson asserted, “If we want people to have faith in the electoral process, we should not be taking away people’s rights to have allegations of election fraud investigated during a recount.” She emphasized the role of bipartisan boards of canvassers in this investigative process and urged against its removal from the law.

The video of Johnson’s Senate floor remarks opposing the final passage of Senate Bills 603 and 604 will be made available online. Citizens are encouraged to subscribe to Senator Ruth Johnson’s email list for updates on state government affairs.