November 1, 2024
A U.S. Postal Service mailbox in Twin Lakes, Muskegon County, MI, was reportedly damaged over the weekend, sparking concerns about missing absentee ballots. According to Blue Lake Township Clerk Jeff Abram, some absentee ballots are unaccounted for, prompting worries among Muskegon clerks about the potential number of ballots that could be affected by the incident.
Abram explained that while the Twin Lakes mailbox is not an official absentee ballot drop box, at least two voters have informed his office that they dropped their ballots in that box. Neither ballot has been received by the clerk’s office, leading to questions about how many ballots might be missing.
“I had a voter come into my office yesterday who said he deposited his ballot in the Twin Lakes post office box,” Abram said. “He asked if I had received it, and I did not. He then mentioned that the box had been broken into, which was news to me since I hadn’t heard about it.”
Shortly after, a second voter came forward, claiming they had also used the same box for their absentee ballot. Abram confirmed that neither ballot had been received by his office. He is now encouraging voters who dropped ballots in the Twin Lakes mailbox to contact his office to confirm receipt.
Local news outlet WZZM 13 reported that the mailbox was damaged sometime between 11 a.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. on Monday. However, USPS has not disclosed how much mail may have been taken or if absentee ballots were specifically targeted. Abram noted that the post office is still unsure of the extent of mail loss due to the incident, and so far, no motive has been established for the vandalism.
This latest ballot-related issue is not Muskegon County’s first election-related controversy. In 2023, the county garnered national attention when The Gateway Pundit published a Michigan State Police report revealing that a statewide investigation took place just before the 2020 election. The 68-page report detailed issues that were allegedly kept hidden from local clerks and the public by Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel. The report suggested both officials were deeply involved in the investigation, raising questions about transparency and election integrity in the state.
As of now, voters are being advised to verify the receipt of their absentee ballots with their local clerk’s office, and an investigation into the mailbox vandalism is ongoing.
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