[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6518447,"mediaKeyId","5392244-1996f462d013a41be397ed0460177222","parentId",5392244,"title","Committee reports multiple election-related bills out of committee; roll-call tallies recorded","audioSeconds",263,"startMs",3083000,"endMs",3346000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5392244-1996f462d013a41be397ed0460177222&start=3083&end=3346","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5392244-1996f462d013a41be397ed0460177222/thumbnail_3083000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6518447/Michigan/Committee-reports-multiple-election-related-bills-out-of-committee-roll-call-tallies-recorded","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518447-2e30051b4116df58677fadce5571b513/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162198&Signature=InWW7AM85dFbgHTVH~VuwyaTgqhdSBgw3JzTWKICW4U3C8146k5aHX7HguuSTCQOEp760KYGEesdlyfIVOwOlqctP8l0ZRRyF9~U6gYRQJ4GeEvaUGA~tulAj4QSIggfRCZB3MiqkA-2fjb-lKcM8~2Y~0MrR~OCVQoHBskw0AO7lAFGI8CD-5ej01GEYPkYHi2KSyidt6vUPi-oJbYMmo~LAUCx9tk-b2u9YaSmBKgvFapOBrWT90Pte-r9I9vnzJL-8XSWlqEsXWc6buTXyaqihct-h0rhGwdSk8ij02PQlrS-NL8wG-WpmUQqZqawKlRxnKGlOll-EutH3BKHHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Michigan Legislature","date","2025-07-14T17:27:50Z","article","The House Committee on Election Integrity took roll-call votes and reported several bills with recommendation during the hearing.

Key results (as recorded in the committee transcript):

- HB 4602: Representative Fox moved to report HB 4602 with recommendation. The clerk recorded affirmative responses from Chair Smith, Representative Fox, Representative Altman, Representative Alexander and Representative Hoadley; several other members were recorded as passing. The clerk announced “5 yeas, 0 nays” and the motion prevailed.

- HB 4358: Representative Hoadley moved to report HB 4358 with recommendation. The clerk recorded an affirmative roll call and announced “8 yeas, 0 nays” and the motion prevailed.

- HB 4359: Representative Altman moved to report HB 4359 with recommendation. The clerk recorded an affirmative roll call and announced “8 yeas, 0 nays” and the motion prevailed.

- HB 4698: Representative Alexander moved to report HB 4698 with recommendation. The clerk recorded an affirmative roll call and announced “8 yays, 0 nays” and the motion prevailed.

- HB 4699: Representative Fox moved to report HB 4699 with recommendation. The clerk recorded an affirmative roll call and announced “8 yays, 0 nays” and the motion prevailed.

The clerk’s role call used short forms and some members were recorded as “pass” during at least one vote; the transcript lists the names called during the roll but several entries are abbreviated. The committee’s chair declared motions prevailing after the recorded tallies.

Ending: After the last vote the committee excused absent members by unanimous consent and adjourned.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Election Integrity - 7/15/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The House Committee on Election Integrity reported several bills with recommendation. Roll-call votes recorded in the transcript show HB 4602, HB 4358, HB 4359, HB 4698 and HB 4699 were reported out with affirmative votes by the committee.","taxTitle","2025 House Legislature MI, Michigan","taxId",77683,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6518452,"Rep. Regas urges law to require attorney general review when secretary of state faces campaign-finance complaints",432,2604000,3036000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5392244-1996f462d013a41be397ed0460177222&start=2604&end=3036","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5392244-1996f462d013a41be397ed0460177222/thumbnail_2604000.jpg","/articles/6518452/Michigan/Rep-Regas-urges-law-to-require-attorney-general-review-when-secretary-of-state-faces-campaign-finance-complaints","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518452-39177570a0cd71676e29140f986f56d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162198&Signature=dLWnWK9v~sZMHt1j-5wjVMo~U4K5iV4Dcf44QFPdXvxmJDKmrwQPrCzXPx2wIlosSydPjV3gpynfQvKlJ2ihMeO2BWOfX5VFe9QS~qgN~3hwjiFLaY1S7UkmbMltpFEBp0y6fZYciu3H3LgJ1BweGeVKRDNKN75x5QZXhBWjhmnQSurBN6LaQ4OH7WR-nm2vu0NoBJ97HOrbGCrU-Y4~~791TK9-9weAA822yL2AUmZeBgOXjiRuWDh89qHASwIR0PmfSG58eA07wLAK9PWUSbH~gG3wP43UEE6KxCiwQFHsOJvNiiIMBFeW4EIo~CEA2CioNeIh5RZs-spMqNNd0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Regas told the House Committee on Election Integrity that House Bill 4642 would require the attorney general to review campaign-finance complaints involving the secretary of state and create clear enforcement procedures, ranging from informal resolutions to civil fines or criminal penalties.

Regas framed HB 4642 as a narrow, corrective bill prompted by the attorney general’s recent finding that Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson violated campaign-finance rules but faced no enforcement due to existing procedures. “This bill is a relatively simple but critical fix that requires the secretary of state to refer campaign finance violation complaints to the attorney general,” Regas said.

What the bill would do: According to Regas’s presentation, HB 4642 would compel referral to the attorney general for determination of whether a violation occurred and would mandate public disclosure of complaints and any resulting agreements. Regas said the bill creates a menu of enforcement responses, including informal resolution, civil fines or, where appropriate, criminal penalties.

Questions from members: Representative Outman said officials who use state resources for campaign purposes should face consequences and asked what punishments should apply; Regas said the attorney general should investigate and judges would determine penalties. Representative Song asked why the committee was not addressing additional campaign-law issues such as candidate address requirements; Regas said HB 4642 is narrowly tailored to the secretary of state matter and invited other members to introduce separate legislation for related topics. Representative Hoadley asked whether the bill applies only to the secretary of state; Regas said yes, it is specific to that office.

Public testimony: Melanie Macey of Promote the Vote and representatives of the Michigan Association of County Clerks and the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks appeared on the witness list in support of the bill but did not speak on the record. One other individual on the sign-in list, Sherry Ritchie of Pure Integrity Michigan Elections, was recorded as supporting the bill.

Ending: Regas closed by reiterating the bill’s purpose as an enforcement fix and said he would work with colleagues on any additional related proposals.","Representative Regas presented House Bill 4642 to require the attorney general to review campaign-finance complaints against the secretary of state and to create enforcement pathways including informal resolutions, civil fines or criminal penalties, with public disclosure requirements.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6518455,"Former State Senator Patrick Kolbeck tells committee Michigan election records need greater transparency and audits",1281,197000,1478000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5392244-1996f462d013a41be397ed0460177222&start=197&end=1478","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5392244-1996f462d013a41be397ed0460177222/thumbnail_197000.jpg","/articles/6518455/Michigan/Former-State-Senator-Patrick-Kolbeck-tells-committee-Michigan-election-records-need-greater-transparency-and-audits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6518455-f16ccb1dbad2dd416085717dc67518c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771162198&Signature=NqtoF9RSy8cha9aKGnGzg4tIAyeqwO5UnamVgtuSImKIP~YXvVOOqHIH0VQZ~MS70HpaleX5xorfu9FGfREb5wDlFqvj-hOOY2WlJ983ytfY1OmHMKZ3yrZ~mTNhVzgNC7jjAKGiPAQltvlMPAoESsG2d-NZuCCrbvV4hf5SZKZxjstqHmk0yrVAYNdL7-K5hvt5miK~NBIbErMHqNi-VJQxEWuwicKOUajCGhLR9h-kcn52dnwEMxEmLZJVHsBEkp2eAH4k78axaUKM41mGl4C41tuwa~xyJ7vNHFGcbDcpiDOJZquHMy5vfoyrBNLbQZmmFtmAqH4uhgOq4K2CWA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Former Michigan state Sen. Patrick Kolbeck told the Michigan House Committee on Election Integrity that a full set of precinct-level election records, the Qualified Voter File (QVF) transaction log and other documents are needed to determine whether recent elections were “accurate and conducted with integrity.”

Kolbeck testified that the basic records needed to cross-check results are the number of voters, the number of ballots cast, the list of voters, ballot images or ballots, cast vote records and election results for each voting method (in-person election-day, absentee, and early voting). “For the general public to have confidence in the results of a given election, each of these election records should be consistent with one another,” he said, citing Article 2, Section 4 of the Michigan Constitution.

Why it matters: Kolbeck said gaps and inconsistencies in those records make it impossible for canvassers, auditors or the public to fully validate reported results. He gave examples — including a precinct recount in 2016 where a ballot container held 50 ballots though the statement of votes indicated 306 — and said precinct-level “balance” (matching voter counts to ballots) is only one indicator of integrity.

Kolbeck identified three categories of recommended action: legislation to increase transparency of election records; laws to codify chain-of-custody protections; and higher, legislatively defined audit standards for the secretary of state. He urged the committee to subpoena the QVF transaction log so the legislature can see who changed what voter-history records and when, and to subpoena other data to evaluate claims that data-formatting errors explained alleged illegal votes in 2024.

On allegations and investigations: Kolbeck detailed several allegations and legal claims he says support concerns about integrity: that some county canvassers refused to certify the 2020 results in Wayne County; that the state’s voting-history data changes monthly; that he possesses evidence he characterizes as an “apparent $82,500” payment tied to a political committee that he says warrants further review; and that courts have found the secretary of state issued unlawful guidance in several cases. He described filing complaints with the attorney grievance commission and the judicial tenure commission related to a donation to a judicial campaign and said those complaints were rejected at the state level and are now, he said, before federal authorities.

On audits and recounts: Kolbeck told members that recounts are “an audit light” because recounts examine ballots but typically do not reconcile ballots against the voter list, QVF transaction logs or cast vote records. He criticized Michigan’s risk-limiting audit approach as too narrow and said no Detroit precincts were examined in a cited risk-limiting audit, which he said left a large portion of the statewide vote unexamined.

Committee response and questions: Committee members asked about the secretary of state’s stated security concerns in denying access to some data; Kolbeck said redaction could protect personal data while still allowing review of transaction logs. He also recommended federal involvement under Executive Orders 13873 and 14248 for issues around foreign components in voting systems and alleged foreign influence through nongovernmental organizations.

What he asked the committee to do: Kolbeck urged subpoenas for (1) the QVF transaction log, and (2) the data needed to evaluate the secretary of state’s explanation about alleged data-formatting errors in 2024. He also recommended the legislature request federal investigations into compliance with the cited executive orders and other actions.

Ending: Kolbeck concluded by reiterating that precinct-level, auditable records are the “building blocks” of trustworthy elections and said he would make supporting documentation available to the committee on request. He said he was available for questions and to provide additional materials.","Patrick Kolbeck, a former Michigan state senator, told the House Committee on Election Integrity that precinct-level records, the Qualified Voter File transaction log and other data are necessary to verify election accuracy and integrity. He urged subpoenas, federal investigations and stricter audit and chain-of-custody rules.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee reports multiple election-related bills out of committee; roll-call tallies recorded

Rep. Regas urges law to require attorney general review when secretary of state faces campaign-finance complaints

Former State Senator Patrick Kolbeck tells committee Michigan election records need greater transparency and audits