A judge tossed out a Republican Party lawsuit aimed at tightening the qualifications for Americans overseas to cast ballots in Michigan.
Michigan Court of Claims Judge Sima Patel turned down arguments from the Republican National Committee, the Michigan Republican Party and a local elections clerk that the state’s policy allowing some Americans who’ve never lived in the state to register to vote there violated the state constitution.
“The challenged language in the Secretary of State Election Officials Manual … is consistent with federal and state law, and the Michigan Constitution,” Patel wrote in a 20-page opinion Monday. “Because the Manual language comports with the Michigan Constitution and statutes, there is no ground to invalidate it.”…
Patel said another basis to dismiss the suit was that it was filed just 28 days before Election Day and that trying to alter the system now would result in “extreme prejudice” to would-be voters and election administrators.
“Defendants are busy with myriad tasks in the final days leading up to a general election in a presidential election year,” the judge wrote. “It is hard to imagine a more prejudicial situation arising from plaintiffs’ delay.”