Republican Groups Challenge Michigan Split-Ticket Voting Instructions
Republican election officials and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) say some Michigan poll workers have given voters incorrect instructions about split-ticket voting, prompting letters to county clerks on Election Day, November 3. The groups say voters may choose a straight-party option and still select individual candidates from another party, and that ballots cast this way must count.
The NRSC sent cease-and-desist letters to clerks in Kent, Shiawassee, Wayne and Monroe counties. It said voters and election challengers had reported that inspectors warned ballots combining a straight-party choice with a vote for an opposing-party candidate could be spoiled, rejected or left uncounted.
The letters call on clerks to stop giving that guidance, issue written corrections to election staff, ensure ballots are not rejected for split-ticket voting, check tabulator settings and preserve records. The NRSC also asked the clerks to identify known instances of the disputed instructions. Separately, Republican National Committee lawyers wrote to county clerks, saying they had received credible reports from across Michigan and that the state’s constitution permits split or mixed tickets. The RNC said the secretary of state had been notified and had taken steps to address the matter.
The dispute comes as some Democrats have signaled support for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers over Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Rogers on Sunday, citing El-Sayed’s association with online commentator Hasan Piker and Piker’s perspectives on Israel and Jewish people in the United States. Michigan has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 1994.
Michigan Voters Must Be Free to Choose Their Senate Candidate
Michigan voters should not have to sacrifice their choice of a Senate candidate because they selected a straight-party option. On November 3, Republican groups said poll workers in several counties had warned voters that combining that choice with an individual vote for a candidate from another party could invalidate their ballot.
The NRSC sent cease-and-desist letters to clerks in Kent, Shiawassee, Wayne and Monroe counties. It demanded written corrections for election staff, checks of tabulators and assurance that ballots would not be rejected for split-ticket voting. The Republican National Committee’s lawyers also wrote to county clerks, saying they had received reports from across the state and that Michigan’s constitution allows split or mixed tickets.
The allegations put the focus on whether voters can exercise the choice the state constitution provides. The NRSC’s letters ask clerks to preserve records and identify known instances of the disputed instructions; the RNC said the secretary of state had been notified and had taken steps to address the issue.
The dispute unfolds amid defections from Democrat Abdul El-Sayed to Republican Mike Rogers in the Senate race. Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Rogers on Sunday, pointing to El-Sayed’s association with online commentator Hasan Piker and Piker’s perspectives on Israel and Jewish people in the United States. With Michigan having last elected a Republican senator in 1994, the race is already drawing attention to those shifting voter choices.
Michigan Election Officials Must Stop Misleading Split-Ticket Voters
Reports that Michigan voters were told they could lose their ballots for choosing candidates across party lines demand immediate correction. Republican groups said on November 3 that poll workers had warned voters a straight-party vote combined with an individual vote for a candidate of another party could be rejected or not counted.
The NRSC sent cease-and-desist letters to clerks in Kent, Shiawassee, Wayne and Monroe counties. It called for written instructions to election staff confirming split-ticket ballots are valid, checks that tabulators are properly configured and preservation of records. The Republican National Committee’s lawyers also contacted county clerks, saying they had received reports from around Michigan and that the state constitution expressly permits split or mixed tickets.
The groups say the instructions are not a harmless technicality: they could interfere with a voter’s ability to choose candidates freely. The NRSC asked clerks to document known cases, while the RNC said the secretary of state had been informed and had taken steps to address the problem.
The controversy comes as Democrats including Rep. Haley Stevens have backed Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers over Abdul El-Sayed. Stevens cited El-Sayed’s connection to Hasan Piker and his positions on Israel and Jewish Americans. Michigan has not elected a Republican to the Senate since 1994, making the reported Democratic defections an added complication for the race.
Reported by The Blaze, Townhall.
