User:Helpful Raccoon/MBSC
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The Michigan Board of State Canvassers is a government agency of Michigan that oversees elections in the state. Its responsibilities include certifying election results and approving nominating petitions and ballot initiative petitions. It is composed of two Democrats and two Republicans.
Since 2020, the Board has taken several controversial votes. In 2020, the Board was scrutinized over its potential refusal to certify the presidential election. In 2022, the Board rejected several Republicans' petitions for ballot access in the Republican gubernatorial primary after accusations of signature fraud. It also rejected a petition for 2022 Michigan Proposal 3, a ballot initiative concerning abortion rights, but this decision was overturned in Reproductive Freedom for All v. Board of State Canvassers.
Structure
[edit]The Board has 4 members, two from each of the 2 major political parties in Michigan. To fill a position on the Board, the governor appoints a nominee from a list chosen by a party's central committee and party leaders in the Michigan Legislature. The governor's nominee must be approved by the Michigan Senate.
Michigan also has a Board of Canvassers in each of its 83 counties. Each county board is responsible for overseeing and certifying elections within the county.
Controversies
[edit]2020 presidential election
[edit]The state board and Wayne County board were involved in the attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election. After the 2020 presidential election, the Wayne County Board of Canvassers initially deadlocked on certifying the presidential results along party lines, and Trump called the two Republican board members to pressure them to refuse to certify. However, the county board certified the results on the same day. There was speculation that the state board would refuse to certify the election results, but the board voted 3-0 to certify, with Republican Norm Shinkle abstaining.