In a recent enforcement action that underscores the tension between election integrity and adherence to procedure, Michigan state officials have removed two Upper Peninsula township clerks from overseeing the upcoming presidential election due to their plans for a hand count of ballots. Tom Schierkolk, clerk of Rock River Township, and his deputy, David LaMere, were relieved of their duties after expressing intentions to depart from the legally mandated procedure of using voting machines to tabulate paper ballots, as outlined by the Michigan Secretary of State.
According to AP News, Schierkolk and LaMere sought to hand count votes to "restore public trust in elections," despite Michigan law requiring the use of machines for vote tabulation, the town of Rock River, situated near Marquette, is a small community of around 1,200 residents as per the 2020 Census, the controversy has stirred concerns over the balance between ensuring accurate election results and catering to public skepticism regarding voting technology.
This move by Michigan's Director of Elections, Jonathan Brater, was intended to "ensure public trust and confidence in the integrity and security of elections," as highlighted in a letter Brater issued to the affected clerks. In statements obtained by The New York Times, Schierkolk maintained that the hand count would be legal under the state Constitution, calling the state's move "baseless".
Moreover, as Bridge Michigan reported, Jonathan Brater warned that any willful failure to comply with Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's directives could result in criminal charges, Schierkolk, who also serves as a local pastor, reportedly mentioned during a church service that he had been "threatened" with a misdemeanor if ballots were hand-counted on election night, a sermon that was livestreamed hinted at the brewing 'drama' surrounding their intentions and asking parishioners for prayers for wisdom and protection.
The tasks originally assigned to Schierkolk and LaMere will now be administered by Rock River's deputy treasurer and the clerk of a neighboring township, a move reflecting a growing national concern about 'insider threats'—elected officials influenced by misinformation affecting the election process. The statewide debate follows a trail of contentious episodes involving election officials across Michigan, including a Republican clerk in Shelby Township, who was charged in connection to an alleged fake elector plot for former President Donald Trump and was also barred from election duties.
