The Department of Justice (DOJ) has requested all ballots, ballot receipts, and envelopes from Wayne County, Michigan, for the 2024 election, according to a letter dated April 14. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon cited past election fraud cases and lawsuits in the county as justification for the request, which was sent to Wayne County Clerk Cathy Garrett. The DOJ gave the county 14 days to comply.
Michigan officials, including Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, have rejected the request. In a statement, Nessel called the demand "absurd" and "baseless," accusing the Trump administration of weaponizing the DOJ to interfere in state elections. She argued that the cited fraud cases prove Michigan’s election safeguards are effective and that the request is an attempt to intimidate election officials.
The DOJ has also sought voting records from 29 states and Washington, D.C., as part of its broader election scrutiny efforts. FBI Director Kash Patel recently stated that arrests related to the 2020 election are forthcoming, though no specific details were provided. Meanwhile, the DOJ has sued multiple states over access to voter rolls and subpoenaed election records in Arizona and Georgia, areas previously tied to debunked fraud claims.
The Trump administration’s actions have drawn criticism from both Democratic and Republican election officials, who argue the requests are politically motivated. The DOJ has not publicly responded to the pushback.