A state Court of Claims judge has rejected a challenge to Michigan’s absentee ballot counting process from President Donald Trump’s campaign. The campaign said Michigan denied poll challengers sufficient access to watch absentee voting boards at work. But Judge Cynthia Stephens said the Trump campaign failed to show any proof of that.
Assistant Attorney General Heather Meingast also said the Trump campajgn waited too long to file the challenge.
“There is isn’t any more opportunity to do so because the counting boards have completed their functions,” she said, “and so the ship has really sailed on the relief that they’re requesting in this case.”
Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens agreed. She also said the Trump campaign failed to show any direct proof that there was an effort to stop poll challengers from doing their jobs. She pushed when Trump’s attorney tried to argue otherwise.
“I heard somebody else say something. Tell me why that’s not hearsay” she said. “Come on now.”
Absentee ballots were a big part of Democrat Joe Biden’s roughly 145,000-vote victory margin over Trump in Michigan. Trump narrowly won Michigan four years ago.