Shelby Review

In the wake of recent controversy and accusations over the how elections were conducted in Michigan, the Legislature issued a subpoena to the Michigan Bureau of Elections for records regarding the elections process, a step that Sen. Michael MacDonald (R-Macomb Township) said is necessary.

The subpoena in question came from the Michigan Senate Oversight Committee, of which MacDonald is a member, according to the MiSenateGOP website.

MacDonald stated that the purpose of the subpoena is to make sure any investigation conducted by the Senate Oversight Committee is done with every available piece of information.

Sen. Michael MacDonald | #MiSenateGOP

“As a member of the Senate Oversight Committee, I take my responsibility seriously,” MacDonald told MiSenateGOP. “Our efforts are not to change the outcome of the election. We are reviewing our election processes and, if necessary, we’ll work on solutions to improve the system and ensure the public’s confidence in our elections.”

Regardless of where the concerns originate, when constituents don’t believe the election was conducted fairly, the state government has a responsibility to take every measure to consider and investigate those concerns, MacDonald said.

“Free and fair elections are the foundation of our system of government, and we owe it to every Michigan resident to ensure the integrity of our elections,” MacDonald said, according to MiSenateGOP. “When concerns about election problems are raised by our constituents, we have a duty to look into them and hear from the public about ways to address those concerns.”

Ultimately, with so many having expressed doubt about the process, MacDonald said that the government must work to restore that trust.

“For our democracy to work, the people of Michigan need to be able to trust that our elections are conducted fairly and honestly -- and an important part of the trust is having confidence that votes are secure and accurately counted,” he told MiSenateGOP.