A loser in last week’s Flint city council election has asked federal and state officials to investigate the election.
Beverly Biggs-Leavy finished second to write-in candidate LaShawn Johnson in the Third Ward race.
While other voters in different Michigan cities were deciding primary races last Tuesday, voters in Flint’s Third Ward were voting in a special election to fill a city council seat that has been vacant since September.
The vacancy was created by the sudden death of councilman Quincy Murphy. His death resulted in a deadlock on the city council and difficulty conducting city business.
Last week, the Genesee County Canvassing Board decided unofficially that Johnson received 322 votes as a write-in in the August election. Biggs-Leavy placed second with 225 votes. Third-place AC Dumas garnered 192 votes.
Johnson finished third in the May primary, behind Dumas and Biggs-Leavy.
Johnson’s opponents claim there were irregularities in last Tuesday’s election.
Biggs-Leavy and her supporters said write-in ballots for Johnson have very similar handwriting and claim Johnson mishandled absentee ballots.
“I want to see them prosecuted and I want it to be thrown out,” said Biggs-Leavy, “If the people did not write her name in there, the ballots are no good. They’re tampered with.”
In a written statement, LaShawn Johnson said her focus is on "putting the Third Ward first."
Genesee County Clerk Domonique Clemons said he understands a complaint has been filed with the state and "will be handled by the appropriate investigative body."
Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor State House Speaker Matt Hall's office responded to a request for comment by Michigan Public’s deadline.
