St. Clair Shores mayor outraged after Michigan AG charges 7 in double-voting incident
(CBS DETROIT) — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel charged seven individuals from St. Clair Shores in an alleged double-voting incident, but the city's mayor is calling on the state to drop the charges.
"There was no intent here; there was no intent for voter fraud, not at all," said St. Clair Shores Mayor Kip Walby.
Walby said he is outraged that Nessel brought charges against four voters and three temporary election workers after alleged instances of double voting were discovered.
"If the attorney general really thinks it's voter fraud, she should come down and interview them, and if she does, she will understand this is not voter fraud. These people did not intend to defraud the system, so she should come and interview these people," Walby said.
Nessel announced the charges last week in a news conference.
St. Clair Shores residents Frank Prezzato, 68, Stacy Kramer, 56, Douglas Kempkins, Jr., 44, and Geneva O'Day, 62, each face one count of voting absentee and in-person, a five-year felony, and one count of offering to vote more than once, a four-year felony. The four were charged with one count of voting absentee and in-person, a five-year felony, and one count of voting more than once, a four-year felony.
Assistant St. Clair Shores clerks Patricia Guciardo, 73, and Emily McClintock, 42, were charged with one count of falsifying election returns or records, a five-year felony, one count of voting absentee and in person, and one count of offering to vote more than once. Meanwhile, assistant Clerk Molly Brasure, 31, is charged with two counts of falsifying election returns or records and two counts of voting absentee and in person, and one count of offering to vote more than once.
"We don't want people to try to vote twice and we certainly don't want clerks that in any way shape or form who are aiding and abetting in that process," Nessel said.
Walby said the St. Clair Shores Police Department and the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office investigated the instances of double voting after they were self-reported. However, no charges were brought.
Walby is now calling on Nessel to investigate this case further and insists there was no criminal intent.
"It's a mistake made, that's what occurred," Walby said.