Stein Calls For Voting Reform In Michigan During Visit To Detroit
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) -- Pushing to reform Michigan's voting system, Green Party Presidential Candidate Jill Stein rallied in Detroit on Saturday.
Stein said she has doubts over the security, accuracy and fairness of the election system, specifically the ballots used.
"There is a legitimate debate as to whether we hand count them or we count them with machines with audits to make sure that those counts are accurate," Stein said outside Cobo Center. "And we need to have automatic recounts. We shouldn't have to hold a bake sale on steroids [or] raise millions of dollars in order to have the assurance that our vote actually counts."
On Friday, the Michigan Supreme Court halted Stein's efforts to get the state's Presidential votes recounted. However, she is continuing recount efforts in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
"No, we are not throwing in the towel on the recount," Stein said.
Stein said that she would be in favor of Michigan using a "ranked choice" ballot system, like the state of Maine uses.
"That means you go tot he polls and you can rank your choices," Stein explained. "You can vote for an underdog that you believe in because if your first choice loses your vote is automatically reassigned to your second choice. So you never have to worry about inadvertently helping that you don't want to get into office."
Her critics, including President-elect Donald Trump, charge she is running a scam to raise her profile and rake in money for another presidential run. She has raised more than $7 million to help cover the costs of the recounts, double what she raised for her presidential campaign.
Democrats have painted her as a spoiler stealing their votes. Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton would have won all three states, and the presidency, if all of Stein's votes had gone to her instead. But Stein argues most of her voters would not have supported Clinton.
Stein denies she's trying to boost her profile. Her website says donors will be surveyed to determine how to spend any leftover recount money.
"If I was thinking about me, I'm not sure I would be doing this now," Stein told the AP this week. "Election integrity is a big Green value."
TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
