The Michigan Bureau of Elections has revoked Antrim County Clerk Victoria Bishop’s access to the Qualified Voter File (QVF), citing "a lack of understanding regarding [her] responsibilities and authority as it relates to ... use of the QVF."
This includes Bishop changing some voters' registration status to ‘cancel.’
The news of the revoking of Bishop's access was first reported by Votebeat Michigan on Friday.
IPR has uncovered 6 canceled voters in Mancelona Township. It is unknown how many voters may have been canceled throughout Antrim County.
Read the letter from the Bureau of Elections here.
With the August 6th primaries approaching, Mancelona residents Mikkie and Jon Morley wanted to make sure their status hasn't been changed. IPR's Austin Rowlader accompanied them on a trip to the Mancelona Township clerk's office.
"I guess what brought my attention to it is the reports on Victoria Bishop and my research on Victoria Bishop and the things that have happened," said Mikkie.
Her concerns arise from a widely reported dispute between the state and Bishop, a controversial Republican election official.
Mikkie's husband Jon Morley was "just hoping to verify that I can vote absentee and that there aren't any changes that weren't made by us."
Inside the township office, Clerk Mike Biehl and his deputy Shawn Fleet confirmed the Morleys' status in the QVF as "active."
Jon, a veteran, said "what I appreciated is their willingness to sit down and talk to us and have a conversation. They allowed us access to see our information that should be protected."
They'll be receiving absentee ballots for both the August 4th primary and the November 3rd midterms.
"It gives me a sense of relief to know that changes haven't been made," said Mikkie. "That my vote does count as a U.S. citizen, a township citizen, and a state citizen."
The Bureau of Elections says Bishop can regain access to the Qualified Voter File if she does the following:
- Complete 4 required training classes.
- Agree to comply with Michigan Election Law by "making only those changes in the QVF that you have authority to make"
- Respond adequately to the Bureau’s previous requests for information.
Victoria Bishop would not take phone calls from an IPR reporter or answer emails about her access removal from the QVF.
