The Michigan Board of State Canvassers approved three of the four petitions submitted for a recall election of Antrim County Clerk Victoria Bishop on Friday.
Bishop has until October 5 to file an appeal of the decision. Organizers said they initiated the recall effort due to her alleged violations of numerous rules and laws.
In early June, the State Bureau of Elections rescinded Bishop's access to the state Qualified Voter File, which is a list of people who have registered to vote and are eligible to vote. That's after Bishop allegedly canceled some county voters' registrations, in violation of state law.
In a September 18 letter, the bureau delineated a list of trainings and other actions that Bishop had failed to complete in order to regain temporary access to the QVF. Sam May, press secretary for Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, said in an email to Michigan Public that it was the last communication the Bureau has had with Bishop.
And, in June, the Michigan State Police began a separate investigation of Bishop, after the clerk allowed her husband unsupervised access to her office and county computer.
After reviewing the investigation, Attorney General Dana Nessel's office found no criminal conduct occurred, but said given the sensitive nature of records in Bishop's control, including the Qualified Voter File, that her actions were "a clear misstep from adequate practices and prudent policy."
Ashley Areeda, the communications director for the Recall Victoria Bishop Committee, said Republican members of the Board of State Canvassers rejected earlier petition submissions, so organizers decided to submit four more with additional details requested by those canvassers.
The Board told the committee they can now choose one of the three approved petitions for the recall campaign. Areeda said this is the language that will appear on petitions:
"Between July 24, 2025, and June 3, 2026, Antrim County Clerk Victoria Bishop changed voter status codes in the Qualified Voter File to ‘Cancel’. For example, Bishop changed six voter records in Mancelona Township to ‘Cancel’ on January 9, January 13, January 23, January 27, January 29, and April 16, 2026. The township clerks responsible for those voter records had not asked Bishop to make those changes on their behalf."
Bishop has until October 5 to appeal the Board of State Canvassers' decision. Bishop's attorney, Kevin Kijewski, told Votebeat that Bishop is “reviewing the decision and all her options.”
“In the meantime she will continue serving the people of Antrim County,” the statement continued. “A recall is ultimately decided by the voters, and if it reaches them, she looks forward to making her case directly to them.”
The campaign to recall Bishop said it needs to collect 4500 valid signatures within 60 days to put the recall on the ballot in Antrim County, but that it's aiming for at least 6,000.
The campaign hopes to place the recall on the county's regular spring election day, in May.
