Board votes to subpoena Cornell West campaign for missing circulator signature exemplars

The Michigan Board of State Canvassers voted to issue a subpoena directing the Cornell West campaign to produce circulator signature exemplars that bureau staff had requested and said were not provided.

Bureau of Elections staff told the board that, in reviewing the petition sample, they were able to verify many circulator signatures using the qualified voter file and copies of driver’s licenses that the campaign provided. Staff said it had reviewed 42 of the campaign’s 62 circulators (28 who were Michigan registered voters and 14 for whom the campaign provided driver’s‑license copies) and reported high match rates in those samples. Staff described remaining gaps: roughly 20 circulator exemplars requested were not produced and therefore could not be reviewed (staff summarized the production as "we only got 14 out of 34 that we requested" in the transcript).

Members debated whether subpoenas should be directed to individual circulators or to the campaign and heard legal guidance that the board has statutory authority under section 552 to hold hearings and issue subpoenas tied to its investigation. A board member moved that the board issue a subpoena to the Cornell West campaign through the campaign’s Michigan attorney directing production of the missing exemplars; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

Board members said the subpoena is intended to complete the record the court ordered the board to develop, and to signal that campaigns have a responsibility to respond to investigatory requests. Attorneys noted practical differences in service options — the campaign’s attorney could accept service, while serving an out‑of‑state signature‑gathering company or individual out‑of‑state circulators may be more difficult. The board recorded no roll‑call tally in the transcript; it approved the subpoena motion by voice vote.