Michigan Republicans Are Quietly Replacing Officials Who Certify Vote Totals

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/michigan-republicans-are-quietly-replacing-officials-who-certify-vote-totals

Like lots of other rank-and-file Republicans, Robert Boyd has his doubts about the integrity of the last election, particularly in his home state of Michigan — and particularly in Detroit’s TCF Center, where the city’s votes were counted last year despite a concerted effort from local Republicans to disrupt the counting process.

“People saw ballots come in the back door, so, you know, there were cameras in there that people weren’t aware of, that were there,” Boyd told TPM over the phone Tuesday. “They had a bunch hiding under the table. It was not a very pleasant thing to see.”

But there’s a big difference between Boyd and others who may share his view: The 73-year-old Rockwood, Michigan resident is the newest member of the four-person Wayne County Board of Canvassers, the body responsible for certifying vote totals for Detroit and the surrounding area.

He’s one of several new members of such boards around the state, chosen by local Republican leaders, who are replacing incumbents who voted to certify the last election under immense, nationwide pressure from their party. The Detroit News first reported on the wave of replacements last week, including incumbents who wanted to be renominated but weren’t.

*snip*

[texasfiddler]

1. This is going to be a big problem and issue for our democracy.

They are hell bent on destroying our democracy.

[Cha]

2. Fascist Fuckers

[BlueTsunami2018]

3. And no one seems to notice, no one seems to care.

I keep hearing that I’m wrong or a doomsayer or whatever but there’s nothing happening to dissuade me from the idea that the fascists have already won. The game was lost a long time ago.

I’m so frigging depressed. We “won”, we were supposed to be happy but I feel worse than ever.

[walkingman]

4. No, the powers that be notice and millions of people care but

the real truth is that we are limited by the power of the US Constitution and the laws of various states. IMO, the only thing that will change our present situation is when young people use their power at the ballot box. Millennials are the largest group in the US. Young people, like almost every generation, do not vote in large numbers. When they realize how what fucked up mess we have left them, hopefully they will turn out in droves.

The real problem is "Do we have time to waste? The sooner all reasonable people unite the sooner we rid ourselves of these greed bastards.

[Wednesdays]

5. K&R

[Boomerproud]

6. Robert Boyd I have two words for you.

Prove it.

[Kaleva]

7. It was a Democrat who picked Boyd

If a county board is deadlocked, then it falls to the Board of State Canvassers to certify If the state board is deadlocked, then the courts will likely order the state board to certify.

"Michigan's four-member county canvassing boards are made up of two Democrats and two Republicans. If there is a partisan deadlock to certify the results of an election, the Board of State Canvassers is tasked with reviewing and certifying the county's results. A partisan deadlock on the state board would likely lead to a legal challenge against the board, and it would fall to the courts to order the state panel to certify the results. "

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2021/10/18/new-wayne-county-gop-canvasser-wouldnt-have-certified-vote/8506771002/

How Boyd got picked was that the Wayne County Board of Commissioners failed to select one of three R candidates, Boyd being one, so it fell upon Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett, a Democrat, to make the appointment.

https://ballotpedia.org/Cathy_Garrett

"County commissions are charged with selecting canvassers, but the Wayne County Commission declined to approve a Republican nominee for the position, so the decision fell to Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett who selected Boyd after he was nominated by William Rauwerdink, who chairs the Michigan 14th District Republican Committee."

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2021/10/18/new-wayne-county-gop-canvasser-wouldnt-have-certified-vote/8506771002/