Lansing Sun

Republican state Rep. Ann Bollin criticized Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson after the latter announced her election reform plan, which will be introduced by Democrats.

Benson said she is working on legislation with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, including Democrats state Rep. Matt Koleszar (Plymouth), and state Sens. Jeremy Moss (Southfield), Adam Hollier (Detroit), and Paul Wojno (Warren).

Bollin, who chairs the state House Elections and Ethics Committee, commented that Benson is only working within her party.

“If her goal is truly to work together in a bipartisan manner, I can’t imagine why she would continue to bring up emotionally charged policy proposals that have already been struck down by our courts,” Bollin said. “Our focus must be on improving transparency, protecting election integrity, and restoring the public’s trust – not on constitutionally questionable proposals that advance the Secretary of State’s own political agenda.”

Benson’s proposal includes allowing clerks an extra two weeks ahead of Election Day to process absentee ballots.

Democrats have already attempted for a two-week extension for clerks to count ballots, but the Michigan Court of Appeals blocked that action before the election, CBS Detroit reported.