St. Joe-Benton Harbor News

Michigan Sen. Kim LaSata (R-Bainbridge Township) recently  released a statement commenting on election integrity, election law and vetting the election process, according to MiSenateGOP.

“As a state senator, nothing is more important, and I take nothing more seriously, than my oath to support and defend the constitution of Michigan and that of the United States,” LaSata told MiSenateGOP. “In our representative form of government, ensuring the people have a voice -- and that it is heard -- is essential. To that end, having fair and honest elections is paramount.”

LaSata says that the state’s constitution does not allow the certification of a presidential election to be overturned or allow the election process to be usurped.

Sen. Kim LaSata | #MiSenateGOP

"The state’s constitution and election laws are clear in that, for a presidential election, the certified winner of the state’s popular vote is to receive all of the state’s electoral votes. There is no mechanism in our state for the Legislature to overturn that result, reject its certification or otherwise usurp the electoral process," she said, according to MiSenateGOP.

She added that the constitution does allow for an audit of the election, which she requested in response to widespread allegations of election fraud.

“However, at the same time, the constitution does allow election results to be challenged, and that is handled strictly through the court system. Additionally, the constitution allows for audits to be requested. Across multiple days of testimony, the Senate and House oversight committees have heard from countless citizens who have made  serious claims of election fraud, irregularities and intimidation that may or may not have affected the election outcome. This, in part, is why I cosigned a letter with numerous others formally requesting that an independent forensic audit of the election be conducted," LaSata said, reported by MiSenateGOP.

She also talked about her dedication to improving the state’s election process to restore the public’s faith in Michigan's elections going forward.

“I am also committed to working with my colleagues to identify policies that could improve and strengthen our state’s elections process and have met with clerks from throughout Southwest Michigan and received great feedback from them that could help restore the people’s confidence in  the integrity of our elections. The general election of Nov. 3 was unlike any experienced in decades. However politically charged it may have been -- and though there remain unresolved problems that must be addressed -- as a state, all of us, no matter our individual political  leanings, must be able to trust the integrity and outcome of not only this election, but every election. I won’t rest until we can,” LaSata told her constituents through MiSenateGOP.