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Macomb County Clerk concerned about non-citizens and jury duty
The problem, according to Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini, is non-citizens being summoned for jury duty. This is happening at what Forlini says is an alarming rate based on his office’s research.
MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Non-citizens are allegedly being summoned to serve on jury trials and Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini says this is happening at an alarming rate.
Big picture view:
The problem, according to Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini, who is running for Secretary of State on the Republican ticket, is non-citizens being summoned for jury duty.
This is happening at what Forlini says is an alarming rate based on his office’s research.
Macomb County jury summons are based on random draws from the driver’s license bank. The county clerk says some non-citizens are slipping through the Secretary of State database. And it’s not just jury pools, Forlini says his research shows some non-citizens potentially have a voting history.
"It is important for us to understand the scope of the problem as we press forward to find a solution to this very important problem. Election accuracy, integrity, and security are our primary objectives," said Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini.
What they're saying:
Former Secretary of State Candice Miller echoed the county clerk’s concerns.
"It is so important that we maintain the integrity of our system—not just for voter registration, but for our jury pool. We want citizens to participate in both things, citizens being the operative phrase there," said Miller.
"This is something that I think needs to go before our oversight committee in Lansing. As many of you know, we’ve had a more robust oversight process in the House of Representatives over the last year that will continue into the following year," said State Rep. Joe Aragona.
The other side:
The Secretary of State’s office released a statement saying in part:
"The jury pool is drawn from the driver’s license database, not the voter database. Individuals who are legally present in the U.S. can get driver’s licenses or state IDs in Michigan."
"Only U.S. citizens who are Michigan residents, are 18 years old by Election Day, and are not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison can vote in Michigan elections. The Michigan Department of State regularly investigates reports of voting fraud and will make referrals to law enforcement for further investigation if merited."
"If the clerk has concerns about data he is viewing in QVF, we invite him to reach out to the Bureau of Elections so we can investigate."
—Cheri Hardmon