In a final purchase signed on Tuesday, a judge in the state’s judge of claims determined that Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s instructions regarding absentee ballot signature verification were in violation of the country’s constitution.  ,
In the decision, Judge Christopher P. Yates, an appointee of Gov. The” first presumption” of accuracy in unique verification of absentee-ballot programs and letters mandated by the December 2023 assistance manual issued by defendants is incompatible with the State of Michigan’s Constitution and laws, according to Gretchen Whitmer.
In a December 2023 guide, Benson, the defendant in the case, instructed staff in more than a thousand provincial and township courts that” [v] oter names are entitled to an original presumption of validity.”
Benson’s attorneys tried to argue the accuracy notion was not prescribed, only a more moderate “initial” presumption.
Yates did n’t buy it. In his June 12 decision granting constitutional pleasure, he wrote:” With condolences to Gertrude Stein, however, a notion is a notion is a notion. It also qualifies as filthy under Michigan law regardless of whether the advice manual includes a gentle nudge rather than a hip verify.
The secretary of state’s workplace took appropriate measures to comply, ensuring that the offending speech had already been removed from the staff ‘ instruction manual by the time of the hearing on the last and established order.  ,
But harm from Benson’s advice had already been done. For the February 2024 presidential key, where 1.4 million absentee ballot software and at least 934, 000 gain vote letters had to be verified, the first notion guidance was in place.  ,
In April, the Republican National Committee and the Michigan Republican Party sued Michigan’s producer of votes, Jonathan Brater, and Secretary of State Benson.  ,
At Monday’s reading, RNC counsel Robert L. Avers verified that the “initial notion of authenticity” speech had been removed from the instruction manual. He questioned whether the staff had been informed, though. He pointed out what is at stake, telling Judge Yates,” The presumption]of signature validity ] was applied during the presidential primary in February, and so this is a change and it’s an important one. … Time is of the essence around, right? Additionally, contact is addressed. I mean, there’s clerks reviewing names right now” . ,
The change was claimed by Assistant Attorney General Erik Grill, who was unable to deliver the communication’s time, despite the fact that he had received it the previous week.  ,
” Can you give that to Mr. Avers and me”? Yates said, finally adding,” I just need to see it” . ,
A Michigan town clerk sent me a version of a memo that might be the message to which Grill alluded.  ,
Addressed to” Staff and Election Directors”, the letter alluded to a variety of alterations to the guide, then, three sections in, it told election officers:
 , Additionally, an updated signature matching guidelines document has been posted in the eLearning Center. The guidance no longer includes the phrase” the signature review process begins with an initial assumption of validity,” as stated in the document’s updated version. Below is the specific language that was removed:
Voter signatures have a presumption of validity at first. Initial presumption of validity does not imply that all signatures have been “presumed valid” without any further scrutiny.
This language has been removed under the court’s opinion in Republican Nat’l Comm v Benson, opinion and order issued June 12, 2024.
Claire Zunk, the director of RNC Election Integrity Communications, confirmed that all clerks had been informed in a statement.  ,
She went on to explain the lawsuit’s significance:” Signature verification is a critical mail ballot safeguard to ensure ballots are cast and counted properly. While claiming that Michigan’s elections are secure and transparent, Secretary Benson twice issued unlawful instructions.  , The RNC’s legal efforts have secured this final ruling in , a major victory in Michigan to protect election integrity”.
With only six days remaining until the primary, this important matter is finally resolved. Michigan reported on July 10 that it had received 1.5 million absentee ballot applications. How many of those application signatures were revoked under Benson’s unconstitutional “guidance” is a mystery.
For Michigan Fair Elections, Kristine Christlieb is the senior correspondent.
