Michigan Democratic Party members voice concerns over convention votes, results
The Michigan Democratic Convention is where the political party decides which candidates to put on the ballot, from attorney general to university leadership. However, there are concerns about how people voted in this year's convention.
Voting members of the Michigan Democratic Party must register, be credentialed, and vote inside the convention. Candidates and party members are now concerned about the adherence to those rules.
"You know, no intention of defrauding or anything like that. I just wanted to check the integrity of the vote," said Cathy Albro, a Michigan Democratic Party member who attended the first day of the convention.
Albro said she returned home in Antrim County before the April 19 vote and was asked to try voting there. Albro said the vote was accepted.
MDP member Liano Sharon said that goes against the party's own rules.
"This is one of the two major parties in the most countries on earth in one of the most major swing states, and we can't just run a convention even according to our rules, much less democratically?" he said.
Albro and Sharon aren't the only ones with concerns, either. State Sen. Sylvia Santana, who is running to become a member of the Michigan State Board of Trustees, is calling for an independent audit after she lost by a razor-thin margin. Her call for an audit has been echoed by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald.
"After reviewing the results of the MDP Endorsement Convention, it became clear that votes were incorrectly recorded, people voted who were not onsite, and some votes were not recorded at all," said McDonald in a statement. "It is critical that every voter and every campaign have confidence in the vote."
But Barb Byrum, who is running for Secretary of State, said she feels the convention and voting went smoothly.
"It was transparent as possible, given that they were not paper ballots," Byrum said.
Byrum said she's not appealing any votes.
"I see a lot of trolls on the internet intentionally confusing this with Michigan election law. This was not done under Michigan election law. This was done under Michigan Democratic Party's and DNC rules," she said.
