Michigan charges 4 people for intentionally voting twice in primary elections

In Michigan, four people were charged with committing a felony of intentionally voting twice during the summer primary election, the state attorney general announced on Friday, October 4.

The Detroit residents charged with the crime had sent a mail-in ballot and voted in person. Along with the residents, three officials have also been charged for allowing the voting to happen.

"It's shocking and simply unheard of," said Attorney General Dana Nessel.

The four people charged are accused of voting absentee and then in person, and with another felony of offering to vote more than once; all these crimes are punishable in the state by up to four and five years in prison, respectively.

As for the assistant clerks who are involved, three of them are facing charges of falsifying election records. The three accused are looking at a potential five-year sentence for allegedly altering the state’s voter file after allowing double voting, which the system is trained to otherwise prevent. .

The charges being brought against the individuals carry a certain significance as the nation is gearing up for the presidential elections only weeks away. As it is, the margins are too close between the presidential candidates, and therefore, incidents like these will only lend credence to the prospect of an unfair election.

Michigan is one of the states where voter turnout is expected to be high, thus making it an open play for either Vice-President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump.

"What occurred here cannot be allowed to be repeated in November," Nessel said. "As to election workers, it is imperative that all election staff, volunteers and assistant clerks abide by the laws of this state."

Nessel added that the motive behind the act was unknown, and it remains unclear whether the seven of the charged were working together. She also pointed out that the extra votes did not affect the election race result.