Wayne County Election Officials Rescind Their Votes to Certify Election Results

Wayne County, Michigan, home of the city of Detroit, has become the latest legal battleground for President Trump and his team.

The story began earlier this week as a number of Wayne County election officials declared their intent to vote against the certification of the vote in their jurisdiction.  Just hours later, however, that decision had been reversed, with many believing that the incident was just a strange blip on the radar of an already bizarre election.

Now, those same election officials are rescinding their vote to certify the results, and claiming that they were intimidated into voting in favor of the action.

In an extraordinary turnabout that foreshadows possible legal action, the two GOP members of Wayne County’s election board signed affidavits Wednesday night alleging they were bullied and misled into approving election results in Michigan’s largest metropolis and do not believe the votes should be certified until serious irregularities in Detroit votes are resolved.

The statements by Wayne County Board of Canvassers Chairwoman Monica Palmer and fellow GOP member William C. Hartmann rescinding their votes from a day earlier threw into question anew whether Michigan’s presidential vote currently favoring Democrat Joe Biden will be certified. They also signaled a possible legal confrontation ahead.

“I voted not to certify, and I still believe this vote should not be certified,” Hartmann said in his affidavits. “Until these questions are addressed, I remain opposed to certification of the Wayne County results.”

Added Palmer in her affidavit: “I rescind my prior vote to certify Wayne County elections.”

That’s not all.

Both GOP board members said their concerns included discrepancies in nearly three quarters of Detroit’s precinct poll books where ballots are supposed to be matched to qualified voters.

“The Wayne County election had serious process flaws which deserve investigation. I continue to ask for information to assure Wayne County voters that these elections were conducted fairly and accurately. Despite repeated requests I have not received the requisite information and believe an additional 10 days of canvas by the State Board of canvassers will help provide the information necessary,” Palmer explained.

Palmer’s affidavit stated that she and her family had been accused of racism and threatened on account of their earlier reticence to certify the results.