The Michigan House Elections Committee on Tuesday discussed two bills, House Bill 5551 and House Bill 5550, that would change procedures for recalls and eligibility to serve on elections panels.
State Rep. Noah Arbit (D-West Bloomfield) provided testimony for House Bill 5551. The bill “prohibits individuals convicted of certain election-related crimes from serving on the Board of State Canvassers (BSC) or any county’s board of election canvassers,” Arbit explained.
Voters Not Politicians Programs Director Kim Murphy-Kovalick also testified in support of House Bill 5551. She said that the offenses outlined in the bill should “unquestionably” prohibit an individual from serving on a board of state or county canvassers.
Some of the offenses cited in the bill include: false statements and forgery in connection with an absentee voter application, unlawful interference of an election inspector by a challenger, false affidavit filed by a candidate and unlawfully disclosing election results before 8 p.m. on Election Day.
“For the same reason that you wouldn’t leave a fox in charge of the henhouse, it is illogical to allow those who have already been convicted of election-related crimes to have control over future elections,” Murphy-Kovalick said.
This story was originally published by Michigan Advance. Read more here: https://michiganadvance.com/2024/03/12/people-convicted-of-election-related-crimes-could-be-barred-from-serving-on-boards-certifying-votes/