A battle is brewing in Michigan, centered around the state’s voter rolls and the actions of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Benson has staunchly refused to comply with a request from the Department of Justice for complete, unredacted voter information, sparking questions about transparency and the integrity of the electoral process.
Benson’s stated reason for withholding the data – protecting voters’ sensitive information like Social Security numbers – feels incomplete. Critics suggest a more significant motive is at play: shielding the state from scrutiny regarding the number of non-citizens potentially registered to vote. A recent case involving a Michigan Commercial Driver’s License issued to an individual unlawfully present in the country fuels these concerns.
The deeper issue isn’t simply about driver’s license numbers, but the potential for widespread irregularities. A meticulous examination of Michigan’s Qualified Voter Files reveals a startling anomaly: an unusually high number of voters listed as being over the age of 115. The numbers defy demographic realities, raising serious questions about the accuracy and maintenance of the state’s voter database.
Consider this: Naomi Whitehead is currently recognized as the oldest living American, at 115 years of age. Yet, Michigan’s records currently list 333 active voters aged 115 and older. A disproportionate number – 257 – reside within Wayne County, home to Detroit, a city often at the center of election debates.
The discrepancies don’t end there. Nine individuals are listed as being born between 1850 and 1898. While census data estimates around 267 Michigan residents are 105 or older, the state’s voter files claim 1,577 active voters in that age bracket, with a staggering 1,030 concentrated in Wayne County.
These aren’t just statistical anomalies; they represent individuals who, according to official records, should not be on the voter rolls. Take Ardis Barnes, for example. Born in 1909, he served in WWII and passed away in 1968. Yet, records show he voted *in person* in 2009, a full 41 years after his death, from an address in Detroit.
Then there’s Selma Steels, registered to vote in 1900 – twelve years *before* his birth in 1912. Despite his death in 1992, absentee ballots were cast in his name in 2020 and 2021. His name appeared with multiple spellings – Steel, Steels, and Steele – further complicating the picture.
These cases aren’t isolated incidents. They are part of a pattern emerging from a massive trove of documents – nearly one million – obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request and subsequent lawsuit. Independent investigators are meticulously analyzing these records, uncovering a potential web of irregularities within Detroit’s 2020 election and beyond.
The implications are profound. The integrity of the electoral process hinges on accurate and reliable voter rolls. The questions surrounding Michigan’s records demand answers, and the ongoing investigation promises to reveal a deeper understanding of the challenges facing election security in the state and across the nation.
