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UpdateMichiganThursday, November 5, 2026

Justice Department reviews federal monitor conduct in Michigan

By the Democracy SENTRY deskPublished

Reporting by
WILX
“Justice Department reviews election monitor conduct in Michigan”, Thursday, November 5, 2026
Read the full story
What happened

The U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing complaints that federal election monitors exceeded their assigned duties in Michigan on Election Day. The Michigan Secretary of State confirmed that monitors in Flint and Dearborn questioned poll workers about their training and requested copies of training materials. Attorney General Dana Nessel said those actions violated the monitors' legal authority.1

A DOJ monitoring coordinator acknowledged the conduct went against the monitors' own protocols.1

What it means in Michigan

What this means for Michigan voters

The bipartisan board of county canvassers, two members from each major party, canvasses the precinct returns, prepares a statement of the vote and reports it to the Secretary of State.2 County boards of canvassers complete their canvass no later than the 14th day after the election, November 17.3

Key dates in Michigan

Election Day in -7 days
  1. Sat, Oct 24 · passed
    Early voting begins
  2. Sun, Nov 1 · passed
    Early voting ends
  3. Mon, Nov 2 · passed
    Last day for mail ballot applications
  4. Tue, Nov 3 · passed
    Election Day; Registration deadline; Mail ballots must arrive
  5. Mon, Nov 23 · 13 days
    State certification

Every date in Michigan, and who certifies the election

More on this story
Michigan · Nov 9
Federal monitors observed polling sites in Lansing, Michigan
Reporting by WKAR
Michigan · Nov 3
Volunteers trained to observe polls in Marquette County, Michigan
Reporting by Upper Michigan's Source
The answers behind this
Who runs elections, and who can't interfereVoting in Michigan, 2026Who certifies the election in Michigan, and by when?What protects the result if someone tries to interfere after the vote?

Explore this issue

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Sources

  1. WILX, https://www.wilx.com/2026/11/05/justice-department-reviews-election-monitor-conduct-michigan/ · Thursday, November 5, 2026
  2. Bolts, Who counts our elections, https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/who-counts-our-elections/
  3. NCSL, Canvass Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/canvass-deadlines

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