Court of Claims strikes down Benson’s unconstitutional guidance

State Rep. Ann Bollin today issued the following statement after a Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled that Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s guidance to local clerks regarding signature verification is unconstitutional:

“Secretary Benson has been giving guidance to clerks that goes against our constitution and against state law. By recognizing Benson’s unconstitutional actions, the court has reinforced the importance of having checks and balances in the election process to protect the voters.

“This decision reinforces the fundamental principle that our elections must be conducted with the highest level of integrity and transparency. It’s obviously vital that our chief elections administrator provides guidance that adheres to the constitution, so I’m glad the court has once again stepped in to put her on the right track.

“This is the second time a court has ruled Benson tried to overstep her authority. Last time, she turned around and tried to implement the changes again through the administrative rules process. As chair of the House’s Elections committee at the time, I led efforts to oppose her changes. She ignored most of our concerns and moved forward anyway, but the court has now ruled that our concerns were valid. This ruling is a crucial victory for voters and election integrity in our state.

“Secretary Benson must immediately issue new guidance for clerks to right her wrong and ensure that all election workers adhere to guidance that safeguards the integrity of our electoral process and upholds the rule of law.”