Press Releases

MDP Asks Wayne and Oakland County Clerks to Enforce Election Law and Prohibit Cassis Bracelets in Polling Places

Michigan Department of State Website Notes State Has Banned “Displaying Election-Related Materials at the Polls for Decades”

LANSING – The Michigan Democratic Party today asked the clerks in Wayne and Oakland counties to instruct their elections inspectors to require that voters follow Michigan election law and remove or conceal the reminder bracelets that write-in candidate Nancy Cassis is distributing to supporters in the 11th Congressional District.

“The 11th Congressional District continues to be ground zero for the Michigan GOP flouting election law,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer. “First, we saw Thad McCotter’s forged nominating petitions. Now, we have Nancy Cassis encouraging her supporters to violate election law and display campaign materials in polling places. All we are doing is simply asking that election officials in Wayne and Oakland counties do their job and enforce the law as it has been enforced for decades of elections in Michigan.”

The Michigan Department of State’s website includes this issue on its frequently asked questions page:

“Michigan has prohibited the practice of displaying election-related materials at the polls for decades. This includes clothing and buttons as well as materials such as pamphlets, fliers and stickers. You cannot display such items in the polling place or within 100 feet of an entrance to a polling place. If you go to the polls with a shirt or button bearing election-related images or slogans, you will be asked to cover or remove it.”

In addition, the Elections Inspectors’ Procedure Manual provides the following guidance:

“Election inspectors have the right to ask voters entering the polls to remove campaign buttons or cover up clothing bearing a campaign slogan or a candidate’s name. In addition, voters may be told to conceal campaign literature or other campaign materials brought into the polls.”

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