President Donald Trump lashed out against Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on Thursday over a mistake that left the name of his running mate off some military ballots.
“The Democrat Trump Hater Secretary of State of Michigan, purposely misprinted Ballots for the Military, putting the wrong names on the Ballot,” Trump said on Twitter.
“Everybody is totally confused by their egregious behavior, which is just the way they want it. This was not a mistake, it was done illegally and on purpose. We want Mike (Pence)!”
…egregious behavior, which is just the way they want it. This was not a mistake, it was done illegally and on purpose. We want Mike! https://t.co/m1LLdk7Cc4
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 17, 2020
Benson’s office said the incident was a mistake, not intentional, and due to a computer error.
A “temporary error” in a Michigan database may have resulted in at least 400 registered voters who live abroad or serve in the military receiving a presidential ballot that did not include Vice President Mike Pence’s name, the Free Press reported Tuesday.
Instead of Pence, the ballots listed Jeremy Cohen as Trump’s running mate. Jeremy “Spike” Cohen is the Libertarian Party’s vice presidential nominee. On the ballot, the Libertarian Party does not have a listed candidate.
Trump has at various times taken to Twitter to criticize all three Democratic women who hold the state’s top constitutional offices: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel, and Benson.
On Wednesday, Benson called the problem “a computer glitch that was quickly addressed and fixed as soon as it was brought to our attention.
“The next seven weeks, there’s going to be an incredibly intense amount of scrutiny on our state. And people will be working to pick apart every single action that I, that our clerks take. And when you’re dealing with millions of ballots, millions of voters, millions of people voting from home for the first time, we all have to be focused on ensuring that the process goes as smoothly as possible.”
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