PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Local police are on the lookout for a suspect after two fake cameras were found outside a ballot drop box, stirring concerns of voter intimidation. The faux surveillance gear was discovered at Risen Christ Lutheran Church on Ann Arbor Road, with the first incident occurring in January and the second in February. The stunt has sparked an investigation led by Plymouth Township Police, supported by state officials and the Attorney General's Office.
"When you have people trying to interfere in the electoral process, it’s really serious," Plymouth Township Clerk Jerry Vorva told FOX 2. Authorities are considering the incidents as acts of voter intimidation — an assertion that carries significant legal repercussions. Chief James Knittel detailed to clickondetroit that "intimidating or coercing can be up to a felony offense."
Knittel explained how the first device, a security-style camera, was zip-tied to an light pole, while the second featured a flashing mechanism akin to a bulb that would activate upon approach to the ballot box. Both devices were promptly removed once discovered. Law enforcement caught the alleged perpetrator on tape, to which Vorva responded, "We don’t know. Is it because they have a fear that someone is going to be stuffing ballots and (people are) going to (say) oh, there’s a camera there, I can’t do it. Or is he trying to intimidate people because he doesn’t like the idea of absentee voting?" as he told WXYZ. In their surveillance footage, the suspect was seen measuring a pole before affixing the imitation camera.
The suspect reportedly used two different vehicles, described as a gray sedan and a white hatchback. As fears rise that such actions could breed distrust in the voting process, local voters have expressed their discomfort. "Yeah that’s a little naughty... if they were sanctioned, I think it would make me comfortable, but having a third party come in just doesn’t seem right at all," local voter Corey Voorman said in an interview with WXYZ. The local community is now rallied together, as police urge anyone with any information to step forward and help uphold the integrity of their elections.
Tips and details that could aid in identifying the suspect can be directed to the Plymouth Township Police Department at 734-354-3232, ensuring anonymity of those who come forward.
