GOP state senator in Michigan forged his daughter's absentee ballot

[RandySF]

A state senator from West Michigan, who made election integrity a key issue in his reelection campaign, is under criminal investigation after allegations of signature fraud were made against him in late 2016, the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office has confirmed.

On Nov. 7, 2016, Clerk Jennifer Badgero in Newaygo County’s Brooks Township filed a report with Michigan State Police alleging state Sen. Jon Bumstead (R-Newaygo) forged absentee ballots at least twice. Badgero is also a Republican.

While the name of the individual making the complaint was whited out in a copy of the state police report obtained by the Michigan Advance, the fact that it was the Brooks Township clerk was not. When contacted, Badgero confirmed to the Advance that she did make the complaint.

Bumstead won reelection Nov. 8 when he defeated state Rep. Terry Sabo (D-Muskegon). Requests for comment were made to Bumstead’s office, but were not returned.

Badgero, who has been the clerk in Brooks Township since 2007, said her first encounter with Bumstead over absentee ballots was in 2010 when he was running for state representative. She said she questioned the signature on the absentee ballot of his daughter, Jona Bumstead, as it did not appear to match the one that was on file.

“I called him and said, ‘Hey, I don’t think the signature matches on this,’” Badgero recalls telling him. “‘It needs to match by election day in order for it to be counted.’ And he says, ‘Oh, my ex-wife must have signed it.’ I gave her [Bumstead’s daughter] a new ballot, and that came back with her signature.”

Badgero said in August 2016, she received an absentee ballot from Bumstead’s daughter, but again noticed it did not look like her signature.




https://michiganadvance.com/2022/11/17/state-officials-indicate-a-criminal-investigation-is-underway-into-sen-bumstead/

[SheltieLover]

1. Lock. Him. Up.

[rsdsharp]

5. C'mon. He's a white, male Republican.

Only Democrats, usually AA women, go to jail for this kind of thing.

[brewens]

2. With mail-in ballots you will always have someone domineering make someone vote their way.

Usually, it might be a kid or spouse they influence or outright make sign the ballot they fill out. I'd say that is way more likely with republicans.

I would go as far a strongly encouraging someone in my household to vote my way and even pull up the ballot request for them, but that's as far as I would go. Some of it evens out.

[cyclonefence]

3. Is his daughter disabled?

There was no mention in the article, only that she was out of state at the time. There was a question about her signature once before, so I am curious.

I am curious because I have voted for my disabled daughter since she turned 18. She is unable to write, so the first few years she made a scrawl on the signature line on her ballot. If anyone had cared to compare her "signature" from year to year, there would have been a problem.. She now makes her "mark" on the designated line, which is witnessed by my husband or me. We are scrupulous about having her make the mark herself.

Even on a disability group chat I belong to, eyebrows are raised when I mention that my daughter votes in every election--and I urge other parents of disabled adults to help their children vote, too.
Of course, my daughter has no idea of whom she is voting for, but she votes a straight Democratic ticket every time.

Here is my rationale: 1) She is a citizen of age and is entitled to a voice. How else can her voice be heard, if I don't vote for her? 2) Her life, more than anyone else's life I know, is directly controlled by people in government, and she has more than anyone else to lose if the wrong people are elected. Her very existence is determined by who serves in government--where she lives, her subsistence funds, her medical care.

Because of her disability, it costs over $100,000/year to keep my daughter alive and healthy. My husband and I could afford to take care of her for maybe one year, maybe two if we sold our house. If she comes off the assistance she receives and then needs to go back on, she goes to the end of the waiting list--how she lives in the meantime I don't know--and then *might* be placed in the very satisfactory condition she is, with people who genuinely care about her and have for years. But probably not.

If this guy's daughter is disabled, I might forgive him for forging his daughter's name on her ballot.

PS If your last name is Bumstead, and you have a son, how could you not name him Dagwood? Rocks in your head, or what?

[Maraya1969]

6. It was the Democrats who enacted the Americans with Disabilities act.

My brother's son is a very bad stutterer and has had it since he was a little child. It affects every aspect of his life. When Trump made fun of that reporter with a physical disability like my nephew's I thought my brother would never vote for him.

I was wrong. He is an asshole Trump supporter and I'd bet his son voted for Trump too - because he does what his father does.

That has nothing to do with this subject but it made me think of it.

[Maraya1969]

4. Can the Dem challenger request a new election since his opponent is guilty of

election fraud, (I know - once it is proven)?

This really pisses me off. Would that guy have won if everyone knew what he did?

[Salviati]

7. It never fails, with republicans every accusation is a confession.

[Baitball Blogger]

8. More Mr. Dithers than Bumstead.

Did anyone find out if the daughter is eligible to vote in Florida? And has she voted in Florida in the same election years that her father was forging her mail-in ballots in Michigan?