A write-in candidate is an individual whose name does not appear on the ballot on Election Day but seeks office by asking voters to cast a vote by writing his or her name on the ballot. Write-in candidates can surface when the office-seeker failed to win a...
Election Law
Are Campaign Contributions Tax Deductible?
The costs to run for political office are nearly astronomical. In 2016. President Donald Trump spent about $450 million on his campaign while his opponent Hillary Clinton spend about $770 million. A candidate running for the U.S. Senate can expect to spend...
Must Voters Possess Photo Identification When Voting In An Election In Michigan?
Michigan has relaxed rules regarding the identification that voters must present to confirm their identity before casting a ballot in Michigan. When appearing to vote, a person can present any of the following photo identification documents to satisfy the...
Can A Voter Carry A Firearm To A Polling Location In Michigan?
On October 16, 2020, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, as the chief election officer, issued directions to local election officials that the open carry of firearms on Election Day in locations where voting activity is occurring. Specifically, the...
What Are The Penalties For Voter Intimidation In Michigan?
Presidential elections are high-stakes affairs that determine the course of our nation for the next four years. Every voter has a right to cast his or her ballot free from intimidation, coercion or threats from others. However, desperation can breed bad...
Why Won’t Kanye West Appear On The 2020 Presidential Ballot In Michigan?
Kanye West is a rap superstar, record producer and fashion designer commanding a business empire with his wife, Kim Kardashian West, worth millions of dollars. On July 4, 2020, he announced on Twitter that he would expand his horizons by running for the office...
Michigan Court Of Appeals Reverses Preliminary Injunction And Rules That Absentee Ballots Arriving After 8 P.M. On Election Day Will Not Be Counted
On September 30, 2020, the Michigan Court of Claims issued a preliminary injunction enjoining the enforcement of MCL 168.932(f) which required all absentee ballots to be received by the clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day. The court order provided that an absentee...
U.S. District Court Grants Preliminary Injunction Against Enforcement Of Michigan’s Voter Transportation Law
Judge Stephanie Davis of the U.S. District Court (Eastern District of Michigan) granted a preliminary injunction in Priorities USA, et al. v. Dana Nessel, Case No. 19-13341, preventing enforcement of the Voter Transportation Law (MCL 168.931(1)(f) for the...
Michigan Court Of Claims Rules Mail-In Ballots Postmarked Before But Received After Election Day Are Still Counted
Judge Cynthia D. Stephens of the Michigan Court of Claims issued a preliminary injunction in Michigan Alliance For Retired Americans, et al. v Jocelyn Benson, et al., Case No. 20-000108-MM on September 18, 2020 providing the following: “This court enjoins MCL...
Michigan Court Of Appeals Rules Secretary Of State May Send Unsolicited Absentee Ballot Applications Directly To Voters
On September 16, 2020, the Michigan Court of Appeals decided that it was not unlawful for the Michigan Secretary of State to send unsolicited applications for absent voter ballots directly to the address of registered voters. In Robert Davis v Secretary of...
