Hundreds of 2020 absentee ballots found in Michigan storage unit

KARAH RUCKER: NEARLY 300 ABSENTEE BALLOTS FROM THE 2020 ELECTION HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED YEARS LATER SITTING IN A STORAGE UNIT IN MICHIGAN. THAT STORAGE UNIT WAS BEING RENTED BY A CITY EMPLOYEE. THIS HAPPENED IN THETFORD TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN.

THE CITY’S SUPERVISOR WAS GIVEN A TIP LAST SUMMER ABOUT MISSING ABSENTEE BALLOTS BEING STORED AWAY. THE SUPERVISOR ALERTED STATE OFFICIALS — THE MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE –

THEN — REPORTED IT TO LOCAL POLICE WHO CONDUCTED A SEARCH OF A STORAGE UNIT LAST AUGUST.

WE’RE ONLY JUST FINDING OUT THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE CITY SUPERVISOR SUBMITTED A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO LEARN WHAT THEY DISCOVERED IN THEIR SEARCH. POLICE FOUND 289 ABSENTEE BALLOTS IN A STORAGE UNIT RENTED BY A TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEE.

ACCORDING TO THE CITY SUPERVISOR – THE EMPLOYEE IN POSSESSION OF THE BALLOTS SAID SHE THOUGHT IT WAS A BOX OF OLD DOCUMENTS.

OF THE 289 FOUND BALLOTS — THE SUPERVISOR SAID ABOUT 75 PERCENT OF THEM WERE MARKED SPOILED — WHICH MEANS NEW ONES WOULD HAVE BEEN SENT OUT TO VOTERS.

THIS IS A STORY THAT IS BEING UNDER REPORTED BY THE MEDIA WITH FEW OUTLETS ACTUALLY REPORTING ON THE HUNDREDS OF DISCOVERED BALLOTS.

AND IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE — THE NEWS OUTLETS THAT ARE REPORTING ON THE STORY — ARE RIGHT-LEANING.

LEFT-LEANING OUTLETS HAVE LARGELY LEFT THE STORY OUT.

THIS IS A TOOL YOU CAN USE ON OUR WEBSITE SAN.COM.

IT WILL SHOW YOU WHAT STORIES ARE BEING UNDER-REPORTED BY THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT.

AN INTERESTING PART TO THIS STORY —

IN THE LOCAL ELECTION OF 2020 —

THE CITY CLERK WON BY A MERE **19 VOTES.

AN OUTCOME THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF THE MAIL-IN BALLOTS DISCOVERED WERE PROPERLY SENT OUT TO VOTERS. 

KATIE HICKS — THE CANDIDATE WHO LOST THE LOCAL ELECTION BY FEWER THAN 20 VOTES — HAS RESPONDED TO THE NEWS OF THE DISCOVERED BALLOTS — SAYING SHE CAN NO LONGER TRUST THE ELECTION PROCESS.

QUOTE —

“I’m kind of happy that it’s coming out because the election is right around the corner again. And it concerns me that this will take place again for 2024.”

IN AN ABC POLL FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR — AMERICANS SHARE THE SAME SENTIMENT. ONLY 20 PERCENT OF AMERICANS SAY THEY ARE CONFIDENT IN THE INTEGRITY OF THE COUNTRY’S ELECTION SYSTEM.

WHILE THE NEAR-300 BALLOTS DISCOVERED IN THIS CASE WOULDN’T HAVE MADE AN IMPACT ON THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION –

THE DISCOVERY IS FURTHER IMPACTING  VOTER-CONFIDENCE IN FAIR ELECTIONS IF BALLOTS FROM 2020 ARE STILL BEING DISCOVERED.

THE MICHIGAN ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE IS CURRENTLY REVIEWING WHETHER ANY LAWS WERE BROKEN IN THE ABSENTEE BALLOT DISCOVERY.