A Wayne County judge dismissed a lawsuit Wednesday that raised suspicions of election fraud involving hundreds of absentee ballots in Dearborn Heights. Judge Robert Colombo Jr. lifted an injunction Wednesday morning that halted the counting of absentee ballots after state Rep. David Nathan, a state Senate candidate, sought a temporary restraining order to set aside certain absentee votes cast in Tuesday’s primary. “There is absolutely no evidence in this case that there has been one fraudulent ballot submitted by absentee ballot,” Colombo said. Nathan, one of six Democrats running in the 5th Senate District primary, filed a lawsuit late Monday seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent Dearborn Heights Clerk Walter Prusiewicz from counting absentee ballots.
According to county election results reported Wednesday morning in the heated race for the open seat in state Senate District 5, Rep. David Knezek topped the race Tuesday, with 29 percent of the vote. He was followed by former Rep. Shanelle Jackson, with 25 percent, and Nathan, who had 22 percent of the votes with 100 percent of precincts in.
Last week, Prusiewicz alerted the Attorney General’s Office and state Bureau of Elections that he suspected voter fraud at play.
The suspicion came after a man with a David Knezek T-shirt dropped off more than 250 absentee ballot applications to a part-time employee at the clerk’s office, Prusiewicz testified Wednesday. The portion of the applications that vow the deliverer has not marked or tampered with the forms were unsigned by the man, violating state election law.
Full Article: Judge dismisses lawsuit over disputed absentee ballots in Dearborn Heights | The Detroit News.