Full Breakdown
Michigan Democrats Call for Independent Audit of Party Endorsement Convention
5/5/2026, 4:48:40 AM
Audit Request and Reported Irregularities
On May 4 2026, Attorney General Dana Nessel, State Senator Sylvia Santana, and Democrats petitioned for an audit of the April 19 Michigan Democratic Party endorsement convention, alleging “material errors” in vote-counting. Although the convention required on-site voting via a mobile-phone app at Huntington Place, campaign reviews found votes cast from remote locations, including states and Montenegro.
Key Participants
Key participants are Attorney General Dana Nessel, State Senator Sylvia Santana, Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald, MDP spokesperson Derrick Honeyman, and the Michigan Republican Party (MIGOP). Analyses found over 200 remote votes, 302 unregistered voters and 208 shared phone numbers. In the MSU trustee race, incumbent Brianna Scott led with ~38 % while Kelly Tebay and Santana each earned ~31 %, a 15-vote gap. Attorney-general endorsements gave Eli Savit ~59 % and Garlin Gilchrist II ~58 %; Byrum received ~22 % for secretary of state.
Official Reactions
Nessel said the audit “has no bearing on the veracity of state-run elections” and warned that “those who traffic in election conspiracies will seek every opportunity to undermine confidence.” Byrum warned that blocking votes by IP address could disenfranchise voters. Honeyman pledged a “fair and independent” appeals process; McDonald cited “incorrectly recorded” votes. The MIGOP tweeted that “Democrats can’t even secure their own internal elections,” framing the issue as partisan.
Conflicting Reports
Sources differ on Nessel’s vote: unofficial records linked her vote to Savit, but a spokesperson later said she abstained. Byrum called the IP-address data “unreliable,” while filings treat it as evidence of remote voting. The master voter list omitted member Rochella Stewart, an unexplained omission.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Those drawing a false equivalency are also the same ones telling you not to trust Michigan’s election system, which includes paper ballots, audits and bipartisan certification at the local and state level,” — Dana Nessel, Attorney General
- “If the system had prevented folks from voting whose IP addresses were showing elsewhere, there likely would have been major issues, which likely would have disenfranchised voters at this endorsement convention,” — Barb Byrum, Ingham County Clerk
- “Petitioners learned that members were voting from as far away as Montenegro and Antrim County during the convention,” — Sylvia Santana, State Senator
- “After reviewing the results of the MDP Endorsement Convention, it became clear that votes were incorrectly recorded, people voted who were not onsite, and some votes were not recorded at all,” — Karen McDonald, Oakland County Prosecutor
What's Next
The MDP Appeals Committee will review Santana’s filing, with a May 4 deadline for further appeals. The party’s August nomination convention could reshape candidate slates based on audited results. Both parties have signaled ongoing scrutiny, and an independent audit, if commissioned, will decide if reforms are needed.
