Clerks in two Michigan townships are asking federal authorities to help verify the citizenship status of registered voters after a state employee allegedly told law enforcement that noncitizens can be automatically added to voter rolls during address changes, claims that have been referred to the Justice Department but have not been independently established.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.
Two Michigan township clerks are publicly seeking federal assistance to verify the citizenship status of people on their voter rolls after a whistleblower allegedly raised concerns about how Michigan’s voter-registration system processes address changes.
Climax Township Clerk Sarah DeBoer became the latest local election official to make the request, following a similar appeal last week from Barry County’s Hastings Charter Township Clerk David Olson.
The controversy centers on allegations attributed to a confidential employee of the Michigan Secretary of State’s office. According to Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf and the local clerks discussing the allegations, the employee claimed that the state’s computer system can automatically register noncitizens to vote when they update their addresses.
Those allegations have not been established through a court finding or independently verified evidence in the material provided. Leaf said his office has referred the matter to the U.S. Department of Justice for investigation.
The dispute has also renewed scrutiny of Michigan’s voter rolls and whether local election clerks possess sufficient information to independently verify citizenship after someone enters the state’s Qualified Voter File.
Olson addressed the issue in a video circulated online, recounting what he said the whistleblower told the Barry County Sheriff’s Office.
“When a non-citizen changes their address, programming automatically registers that citizen to vote. When the employee advised the supervisor, the supervisor said, ‘That’s okay, because it will be caught downline by the clerks.”
Olson disputed the supervisor’s reported response.
“That is not correct! Once it’s in the qualified voter file, there’s no way for me to verify citizenship!”
He said the consequence, in his view, is that an improperly registered person could become eligible to receive election materials before the local clerk has any independent mechanism for determining citizenship.
“Therefore, they [non-citizens] are automatically issued a ballot or an absentee ballot. So, since it is my responsibility to safeguard the voter rolls in my township, I’m asking if the federal government is interested in helping verify my citizens’ [voter] rolls?”
Olson said he would welcome federal officials comparing citizenship information against his local records while maintaining control of the voter file in accordance with Michigan law.
“I would be welcome to have them here,” he said.
“I will safeguard my voter roll in the office, but they are certainly welcome to come and compare against mine, and this way will uphold the law. I will definitely follow mine, and it will be fair and honest.”
Olson ended his appeal with, “Thank you.”
DeBoer has now made a similar request from Climax Township in Kalamazoo County, Michigan.
In a second video posted online, DeBoer identified herself and said she was joining other Michigan election officials in asking Washington for assistance.
“Hello, my name is Sarah DeBoer. I’m the clerk of Climax Township in Kalamazoo County, MIchigan. Today, I’m joining with other clerks across the state of Michigan calling for federal assistance in verifying the citizenship status of those on our voter rolls. Under MCl 168.515 and MCl 168.520. I’m asking for this to be done legally and in my office to ensure that the voter files are protected under Michigan law.”
DeBoer then addressed the whistleblower allegation directly.
“Recently, a whistleblower who was an employee at the [Michigan] Secretary of State’s office came forward alleging that the Secretary of State is registering non-citizens to vote. Contrary to what the supervisor of that employee told them, local clerks have zero ability to verify the citizenship status of anyone in the Qualified Voter Rolls.”
She said she wants federal officials to work directly with her office before absentee ballots are distributed.
“So, I am asking for federal assistance to do my duty as a local clerk to ensure that those who are registered to vote are also U.S. citizens. Absentee ballots go out on September 24, so I look forward to hearing from someone and working with someone from the federal government very shortly. Thank you very much!”
DeBoer reportedly learned about Olson’s appeal through The Gateway Pundit and began looking into how her office could similarly request federal assistance.
The underlying allegations originate with Sheriff Leaf’s account of information supplied by a confidential source employed by the Michigan Secretary of State’s office.
According to Leaf, the informant alleged that when a noncitizen updates an address, Michigan’s customer and automotive records system can automatically place that individual into the voter-registration system and display a message saying the person has been registered.
Leaf said the whistleblower brought the issue to a supervisor, who allegedly responded that county clerks would identify and remove any ineligible registrations later in the process.
Leaf disputes that assertion. According to his account, local clerks receive access to an individual through the Qualified Voter File only after registration has occurred, while the file does not provide clerks with a citizenship-status indicator that would allow them to independently verify eligibility.
He further contends that once someone appears on the voter rolls, that person could request a mail ballot or appear at a polling location with accepted identification, where citizenship itself is not separately verified.
Leaf said his office has referred the allegations to the Justice Department for examination of whether the alleged conduct could constitute a conspiracy involving 18 U.S.C. § 611, the federal law prohibiting unlawful voting by noncitizens.
He has also called on Michigan lawmakers to address the issue and encouraged people with additional evidence to contact his office or their local sheriff.
“You know this is wrong, it’s time to act,” Leaf said.
A third video circulated online amplified Leaf’s assertions and accused Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson of overseeing a system programmed to register noncitizens.
The accompanying post declared, “WOW! 🚨🚨🚨 MI SOS @JocelynBenson is more crooked than anyone knew!!!
@SheriffLeaf confirms:
A whistleblower has revealed that Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s election software is programmed to automatically register non-citizens—including illegal aliens—to vote whenever they update or move their addresses!
The feature is hardwired into the system. Local clerks have zero ability to override or block it. Even worse, clerks are locked out of any meaningful way to verify or determine a voter’s citizenship status.
This isn’t a glitch. It’s built into the software itself—leaving Michigan’s voter rolls wide open to ineligible registrants every time an address changes.
And now, she wants Michigan residents to choose her as their next governor! 😂😂😂😂”
Those statements constitute allegations by the post’s author and Leaf’s characterization of what the confidential source reported. The material provided does not establish that Benson personally ordered noncitizens registered, that the alleged software behavior has been independently confirmed, or that identified noncitizens actually cast ballots.
The controversy has nevertheless prompted Olson and DeBoer to argue that local clerks need access to federal citizenship information if they are expected to ensure that only eligible U.S. citizens remain registered.
It has also become part of the broader political debate surrounding the SAVE Act, legislation intended to require documentary proof of citizenship for voter registration in federal elections.
With DeBoer noting that absentee ballots are scheduled to begin going out Sept. 24, the clerks are seeking federal involvement on an accelerated timetable while Leaf awaits a response to his referral to the Justice Department.
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