Macomb Co. Officials Warn Anyone 'Menacing' Voters Will Be Prosecuted

MACOMB COUNTY, MI — Macomb County officials warned Wednesday they will not hesitate to criminally charge anyone menacing voters at a ballot dropbox or election workers.

"Everyone should feel safe exercising their voting rights," Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said. "President Theodore Roosevelt was right when he said, ‘A vote is like a rifle: its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.’ Let’s show Macomb County’s character by not menacing election workers or voters at ballot boxes. Election workers should be treated as heroes."

Michigan is one of several states targeted by a group known as the America Project, which has a "checklist" targeting Michigan’s election, recruiting election monitors "in ways election experts worry blurs the lines between lawful oversight and vigilantism," according to the Detroit Free Press.

In addition, election officials in Arizona have worried that bands of activist observers hunting for fraud will harass and intimidate voters. The Arizona Secretary of State recently referred a matter to the U.S. Justice Department and the Arizona Attorney General.

Macomb County officials urged voters to report any threats or menacing behavior surrounding the upcoming election to police.

Under Michigan law it is a felony to attempt by, "menace, or other corrupt means or device, either directly or indirectly, to influence an elector in giving his or her vote, or to deter the elector from, or interrupt the elector in giving his or her vote at any election held in this state."