With less than a week remaining before the midterm elections, Michigans top election official has been blocked from enforcing a controversial rule that would have required the rapid deletion of key electronic voting records.
According to RedState, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson had ordered local election officials to erase certain electronic pollbook files within seven days of certification, prompting an immediate legal challenge from the Republican National Committee (RNC) and a sharp rebuke from the courts. On Tuesday, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Michael Riordan issued a temporary restraining order directing election officials statewide to preserve electronic pollbook records from the November 3 election instead of deleting them.
As RedStates Jennifer Oliver OConnell previously reported, the RNC argued that Bensons directive ran headlong into federal law, which requires that specific election records be retained for 22 months. Pollbooks, which are used to check in voters and track who has cast a ballot, are central to verifying turnout and ensuring that only eligible voters participate.
The RNC framed the dispute as a fundamental test of election transparency and accountability, especially in a battleground state that could help decide control of Congress. BREAKING: The RNC just scored a MAJOR ELECTION INTEGRITY WIN in Michigan days before the midterms, STOPPING Jocelyn Bensons attempt to wipe out critical election records. More: https://t.co/xqogZfuExw the committee declared in a celebratory post.
Bensons office has insisted that the state is already complying with federal retention rules by preserving other categories of election data, but the RNC countered that deleting electronic pollbook files undermines the ability to audit and verify results. Under Judge Riordans order, local officials must now copy their electronic pollbook data onto encrypted flash drives and store them securely until the court issues further instructions.
The judge has not yet ruled on the underlying question of whether Bensons policy violates federal law, but his order ensures that no potentially critical records are destroyed while the case proceeds. For Republicans, the decision is a clear affirmation that election integrity demands robust record-keeping, not rushed deletion.
Democrats say our elections are secure, but then they want the records destroyed. Why?" said RNC Chairman Joe Gruters. Jocelyn Benson tried to wipe out critical election records, and the RNC stopped her. Republicans are protecting the vote and demanding transparency for every American.
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