A Michigan official has been charged with six election fraud felonies for allegedly altering absentee ballots and forging records during the November 2018 midterm elections.
Democratic city clerk for Southfield, Oakland County, Sherikia Hawkins, was arrested Sept. 23 after state police found 193 absentee voter records from the city had been altered and improperly listed as invalid.
The nearly 200 absentee ballots had been altered to show that voters didn’t include a valid or return date or signature, although they did initially include both details, the Oakland County Clerk’s Office found.
“It appeared from the report that the ballot return dates for voters were added or removed from the report in order to force the reports to balance to the number of ballots tabulated for each precinct on Election Night,” a Michigan State Police affidavit said.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in a statement that the alleged changes did not have an effect on Southfield’s election results.
“I want to be clear, the allegations that the Southfield clerk falsified official election records did not alter the outcome of any election,” Benson said. “There were no races that were won or lost as a result, and there were no voters who are disenfranchised. All valid votes in the election were ultimately counted and the final official vote total was accurate.”
“Our elections are the foundation of our democracy, and under my and Attorney General [Dana] Nessel’s administration there will be no tolerance for any actions that undermine that foundation—anywhere, anytime, by any person or official,” Benson added.
Her arrest comes after she was awarded the Dingell/ Levin award at the Michigan Democratic party’s annual Legacy Dinner in Detroit in May this year.
Florida Democratic Party Investigated for Election Fraud
In a separate case last November, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Office of Statewide Prosecution opened up a criminal investigation into allegations that the Florida Democrat Party carried out election fraud during the 2018 midterm elections.Evidence sent to the Department of State showed a possible effort by Democrats to have voters fix ballots after the deadline in at least four counties, WFLA reported.
Forms for mail ballots sent to voters by Democrats show the return date was changed from the day before the election to two days after the election.
State officials also said that “disseminating false information as to the date, timing, or location of federal voting activity” is a violation of federal laws.
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