LANSING, Mich. — Lawsuits have been filed that accuse Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of violating the First Amendment by restricting the number of people who can attend political rallies and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson of violating election law by allowing online application for absentee ballots.
The suits were filed by the Election Integrity Fund and One Nation Michigan.
The suit against the governor claims Whitmer’s executive orders limiting the size of indoor and outdoor gatherings “virtually eliminate retail politics.” It also takes issue with the governor’s ability to change the rules at any time without notice, claiming that is a violation of the Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
The suit against the secretary of state claims Benson made it possible to request absentee ballots online, violating state election law the requires a voter’s signature on such applications. The suit also claims Benson’s plan to send applications to all voters is also a violation of state law that requires voters to ask for an application.
The lawsuits were filed in the Michigan Court of Claims in Lansing and asks the court to give the suits a quick hearing and to stop the governor’s and secretary’s actions.
