The Michigan Supreme Court dealt a fatal blow to GOP gubernatorial candidates’ last-ditch attempts to land a spot on the August primary ballot after a signature forgery scandal brought their campaigns to an end.
Candidates for governor must submit at least 15,000 valid voter signatures to qualify for the primary ballot.
In a report summarizing its review of the signatures on candidates’ nominating petitions, the bureau said it uncovered extensive signature fraud, including a large number of signatures that appeared to be forged on behalf of dead people as well as voters whose addresses had changed. The bureau also found petition sheets that appeared to be “round-tabled,” with circulators passing around a petition between each other to vary handwriting, according to the bureau.