Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Complaint Flushed: No Charge in Toilet Election Display
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 4 years ago on
September 23, 2020

Share

MASON, Mich. — A prosecutor in Michigan has flushed a complaint about a toilet that was promoted as a place to drop absentee ballots.

The election clerk in Ingham County informed police about a toilet on the front lawn of a home in Mason, near Lansing. A sign said, “Place mail in ballots here.”

She has been critical of President Donald Trump, who has offered mixed messages on voting by mail. Election officials fear that Trump’s earlier claims about “mayhem” could cause anxiety among voters at a time when absentee ballots are being promoted to avoid coronavirus risks.

Barb Byrum, a Democrat, said it’s a felony to take illegal possession of absentee ballots.

But there was no evidence of an intent to violate Michigan law, said the office of county prosecutor Carol Siemon, a Democrat.

“Instead, this seemed to be an effort to make a humorous political statement,” the statement said.

Byrum, who drives by the home on her way to work, said she didn’t see the toilet Tuesday. She said she respects the decision by the prosecutor but added that “elections are never a laughing matter.”

“The safety and secure administration of elections is of utmost importance,” Byrum said.

She has been critical of President Donald Trump, who has offered mixed messages on voting by mail. Election officials fear that Trump’s earlier claims about “mayhem” could cause anxiety among voters at a time when absentee ballots are being promoted to avoid coronavirus risks.

About 2.4 million Michigan voters so far have asked for absentee ballots.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Fresno State Shows the Nation How a Peaceful Palestinian Protest is Done

DON'T MISS

Wired Wednesday: Digging Into Fresno’s Trash Hauling Fees

DON'T MISS

Fresno State Announces 2024 Undergraduate Deans’ Medalists

DON'T MISS

Duane Eddy, Twangy Guitar Hero of Early Rock, Dead at Age 86

DON'T MISS

Fresno State’s Randa Jarrar Dragged Out of Event Featuring Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik

DON'T MISS

Trump Calls Judge ‘Crooked’ After Facing a Warning of Jail Time if He Violates a Trial Gag Order

DON'T MISS

Federal Reserve Says Interest Rates Will Stay at Two-Decade High Until Inflation Further Cools

DON'T MISS

House Passes Bill Expanding Antisemitism Definition Amid Campus Protests Over Gaza War

DON'T MISS

Trump Awarded 36 Million More Trump Media Shares Worth $1.8 Billion

DON'T MISS

Fresno Trustees Discuss Interim Superintendent Decision. When Will They Decide?

UP NEXT

Trump Calls Judge ‘Crooked’ After Facing a Warning of Jail Time if He Violates a Trial Gag Order

UP NEXT

Biden’s Historic Marijuana Shift Is His Latest Election Year Move for Young Voters

UP NEXT

The Latest | In Israel, Blinken Pushes Hamas to Agree on Gaza Cease-Fire Deal

UP NEXT

What Marijuana Reclassification Means for the United States

UP NEXT

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Vows to Force a Vote on Ousting House Speaker Mike Johnson

UP NEXT

Protesters Clash at UCLA After Police Arrest 300 Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators in New York City

UP NEXT

Dems: We Will Save GOP Speaker Johnson’s Job if Republicans Try to Oust Him

UP NEXT

Hush Money Trial Enters 3rd Week, Begins With Gag Order Ruling and $9K Fine for Trump

UP NEXT

Planning for Potential Presidential Transition Underway by Biden Administration

UP NEXT

US Is Building a Pier off Gaza to Bring in Humanitarian Aid. Here’s How It Would Work.

Duane Eddy, Twangy Guitar Hero of Early Rock, Dead at Age 86

8 hours ago

Fresno State’s Randa Jarrar Dragged Out of Event Featuring Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik

8 hours ago

Trump Calls Judge ‘Crooked’ After Facing a Warning of Jail Time if He Violates a Trial Gag Order

8 hours ago

Federal Reserve Says Interest Rates Will Stay at Two-Decade High Until Inflation Further Cools

8 hours ago

House Passes Bill Expanding Antisemitism Definition Amid Campus Protests Over Gaza War

8 hours ago

Trump Awarded 36 Million More Trump Media Shares Worth $1.8 Billion

9 hours ago

Fresno Trustees Discuss Interim Superintendent Decision. When Will They Decide?

Local Education /

10 hours ago

Why Wheels on $10M Worth of Fresno Buses Don’t Go Round and Round

10 hours ago

Enough With the Excuses. Are You Part of the Problem With Fresno’s Public Education?

10 hours ago

New Battlegrounds Emerge in California’s Political Guerrilla War Over Housing

11 hours ago

Fresno State Shows the Nation How a Peaceful Palestinian Protest is Done

A peaceful pro-Palestinian sit-in at Fresno State on Wednesday lived up to its billing. “We want a cease-fire, and we just want a free...

6 hours ago

6 hours ago

Fresno State Shows the Nation How a Peaceful Palestinian Protest is Done

7 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: Digging Into Fresno’s Trash Hauling Fees

7 hours ago

Fresno State Announces 2024 Undergraduate Deans’ Medalists

8 hours ago

Duane Eddy, Twangy Guitar Hero of Early Rock, Dead at Age 86

8 hours ago

Fresno State’s Randa Jarrar Dragged Out of Event Featuring Big Bang Theory’s Mayim Bialik

8 hours ago

Trump Calls Judge ‘Crooked’ After Facing a Warning of Jail Time if He Violates a Trial Gag Order

8 hours ago

Federal Reserve Says Interest Rates Will Stay at Two-Decade High Until Inflation Further Cools

8 hours ago

House Passes Bill Expanding Antisemitism Definition Amid Campus Protests Over Gaza War

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend