Statement from Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons Regarding Michigan Supreme Court’s Decision to Dismiss Criminal Case Against Kent County Election Worker

Statement from Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons

Regarding Michigan Supreme Court's Decision to Dismiss Criminal Case Against Kent County Election Worker

Background: The state Supreme Court declined to hear Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker's appeal of the Michigan Court of Appeals' decision to dismiss the criminal case against a Kent County election worker accused of falsifying election returns and using a computer to commit a crime during the August 2022 election. Please review the Kent County Clerk's statement from September 28, 2022, when the activity was first discovered.

Statement:

"Our citizens deserve to have faith in their elections and those who work them. I'm very disappointed the Michigan Supreme Court declined to hear this case. Secretly inserting an unauthorized personal device into election equipment to extract and remove voter information for personal use is a serious criminal offense.

I look forward to partnering with the Michigan Legislature to ensure that no semantics, outdated legal language, or far-reaching technicalities will shield election workers or any others who break the law and violate the public trust from being held accountable.

I appreciate Prosecutor Chris Becker for his office's work in seeking justice for our voters. Despite the court's decision, I will continue to do everything possible to keep Kent County's elections secure, transparent, fair, and accurate."

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