November 19, 2020
Caucus Statement in Response to Election Certification Actions
by Republican Members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers
The Michigan Democratic Party Hispanic Latino Caucus is outraged at the Wayne County Board of Canvassers Republican members’ filing of affidavits to rescind their votes for the unanimous certification of the Wayne County November 3 election ballots.
On November 17, the County’s Board of Canvassers - 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats - met for the routine certification of Wayne County ballots, which is necessary to proceed to the Board of State Canvassers for final certification and official electoral votes.
Republicans Board Chair Monica Palmer and member William Hartman initially refused to certify ballots that night, resulting in a Board “stalemate” disenfranchising almost 900,000 people in Wayne County’s 43 jurisdictions, and rendering moot judicial and school board elections, county-wide education funding, numerous proposals, and representation in State House District 4. All because of less than 400 ballots throughout the County!
Chair Palmer then offered to certify all county ballots except those of hundreds of thousands of Detroit’s voters. However, after several hours of heated three-minute public comments, the Board again voted and unanimously certified the ballots and a motion to waiver reconsideration of Board members’ votes.
However, late Wednesday night, November 18, after phone calls from President Trump, Palmer and Hartman signed affidavits to rescind their votes to certify the County’s ballots.
In a further affirmation of the Michigan GOP’s and President Trump’s actions to further overthrow the democracy of our country and establish an autocratic government, a Trump Campaign attorney asserted that the Wayne County Board of Canvassers “declined to certify the results of the presidential election”. Palmer and Hartman, and the Republican Party - are disingenuous about their concern for fair elections; their interest is solely to keep their despot in office by disenfranchising people of color and underserved populations, and anyone who stands in their way (including Republican voters who would be voiceless collateral damage for Trump’s scheme).
The Bureau of Elections has said there is no legal “mechanism” for Board of Canvassers members to rescind their votes. However, make no mistake: Michigan’s corrupt Republicans will continue to obstruct voters and elections, in the courts and otherwise.
The Hispanic Latino Caucus calls for the removal of Monica Palmer from the Wayne County Board of Canvassers. We refuse to allow President Trump and Michigan Republicans to disparage and diminish our votes. We will work together with the Michigan Democratic Party to stop the GOP from throwing us -- and democracy -- under the bus.