DETROIT (AP) 鈥 A judge threw out a lawsuit Monday that challenged voting by absentee ballot in Detroit, saying a Republican candidate for secretary of state failed to produce any evidence of violations.
鈥淧laintiffs have raised a red flag of election law violations and corruption concerning Detroit's procedures for the November 8th election. This court's ruling takes down that flag,鈥 Wayne County Judge Tim Kenny wrote.
Kristina Karamo and others sued to try to force Detroit residents to vote in person or go to the city clerk's office to get an absentee ballot.
They filed a lawsuit 13 days before Tuesday's election, making a variety of allegations about how Detroit reviews signatures on absentee ballots and monitors drop-off boxes. The lawsuit, among other things, also claimed the city was using 鈥渦ncertified high-speed tabulators鈥 to count votes.
鈥淒espite plaintiffs' arguments to 鈥榮hed light in a dark place,鈥 they have failed dramatically,鈥 the judge said. 鈥淥ver an eight-hour evidentiary hearing, no evidence of election law violations鈥 was revealed.
Kenny noted that Detroit elections administrator Daniel Baxter and former Michigan elections director Chris Thomas testified about how the city performs its job.
Approximately 60,000 Detroit voters had submitted an absentee ballot by last Thursday, Kenny said.
鈥淲hile it is easy to hurl accusations of violations of law and corruption, it is another matter to come forward and produce the evidence our Constitution and laws require,鈥 the judge said.
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