Michigan judge tosses GOP lawsuit that aimed to make it easier to challenge voter eligibility

In a victory for voters, a Michigan judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Republican National Committee (RNC) that sought to make it easier for partisan poll challengers to dispute voter eligibility and interrupt the state’s ballot-counting process.

Michigan Court of Claims Judge Randy Wallace found that the complaint was “barred by laches,” meaning the RNC waited too long to file its lawsuit, leaving election officials too little time to implement changes before voters head to the polls for November’s midterms. 

The RNC sued Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) in June to overturn guidance she issued in October 2024 limiting the number of poll challengers at each voting location. 

Poll challengers are citizens appointed by political parties and nonpartisan groups to observe the ballot-counting process at polling places. Challengers differ from poll watchers in that they have the authority to challenge a voter’s eligibility or question election administration procedures if they have good reason to believe something is wrong.

Benson’s guidance, which was added to Michigan’s administrative rules in May 2026, aimed to make it more difficult for poll challengers to lodge frivolous challenges that delay or disrupt the ballot-counting process. 

The RNC’s lawsuit opposing the guidance “isn’t about the law,” Angela Benander, Benson’s chief communications officer, previously told Democracy Docket.

“It’s part of the RNC’s long-running effort to cast doubt on our ability to administer free and fair elections and lay the groundwork for them to challenge any legitimate election result they don’t like,” she said. “Their goal is always the same – to create chaos and confusion that will discourage or even block eligible Michiganders from voting.”

But RNC Chairman Joe Gruters accused Benson of trying to weaken election integrity with the new poll challenger guidance.

“Jocelyn Benson is trying to sideline the citizens who help keep elections transparent,” Gruters said in a statement. “Michigan voters deserve oversight, not secrecy, and the RNC will fight every Democrat attempt to weaken election integrity.”

Weeks before Michigan’s primaries, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said it would send federal election monitors to observe voting in three majority-Democratic municipalities. DOJ voting section deputy chief Timothy Mellett cited unsubstantiated reports of voting issues in the 2024 election to justify sending monitors to Detroit, Lansing, and East Lansing.

Though the poll challenger guidance at the heart of the lawsuit didn’t apply to federal election monitors, the RNC said it nonetheless “silences those watching for irregularities.” 

The RNC lawsuit, and the Trump administration’s move to deploy federal monitors, contribute to rising fears that the GOP is pulling out all the stops to disrupt vote counting and challenge voters’ eligibility this fall.

But Michigan election officials said last week’s primary election went off without any issues. 

“We made sure during this election cycle, especially today, that local communities had the tools they needed for this election,” Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie said in a statement. “Our staff traveled across the state, assisting clerks and making sure things ran smoothly.”