“I feel like votes have been stolen from the people.”
Controversy continues in Grout Township, where a clerk is facing election tampering charges.
The township board is meeting for the first time since the allegations emerged.
Linda Birgel is accused of purposefully disqualifying ballots in last year’s election by filling in information on both sides.
Police say she intentionally mis-marked several ballots, hoping to change the results of the election.
She is now charged with two felonies, including absentee ballot tampering and disclosing and obstructing votes.
Despite the allegations, Birgel is still on the board as the township clerk.
There has been a lot going on at the meeting, but it’s actually something not on the agenda stirring up the most controversy.
So far plenty of people have been sharing their opinions about Linda Birgel keeping her spot as township clerk.
The township supervisor says they can’t ask her to step down and will not be getting involved right now.
But police say Birgel did not follow the state’s absentee voting process.
Meaning some votes for local millage proposals didn’t count, and someone filed a complaint with the Michigan Bureau of Elections about odd numbers coming from her precincts.
The situation has residents concerned.
“Obviously she’s innocent until proven guilty and if it comes out that she’s innocent fantastic. But if she’s found guilty she needs to pay the ultimate price for it too,” Phil McGourty, Grout Township resident said.
This is something we will continue to follow very closely and will keep bringing you the latest updates.
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