GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A week after testimony on Michigan’s election in front of the state’s House Oversight Committee made national headlines – even prompting a Saturday Night Live skit – the Senate Oversight Committee heard a very different thing from one of their witnesses.
Chris Thomas, a long-time elections director in the state who acted in an advisory role for Detroit counting boards this year, disputed unfounded claims of additional votes totaling in the ‘hundreds of thousands’ according to witnesses later found to be not credible. In fact, he said he saw just the opposite.
“There’s basically 148 more voters than there are ballots,” said Thomas, speaking to the oversight committee members on a Zoom call Tuesday. “So there’s no ballot stuffing of additional ballots than there are voters and there are explanations that are needed.”
Thomas’ testimony is in stark contrast to witnesses called last Wednesday by Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani that suggested there were hundreds of thousands more votes than registered voters in Detroit, and that deceased voters cast ballots.
“It’s just not there,” said Thomas. “You’re not going to find it because it’s not there.”
Thomas admitted that the 148 uncounted votes are a discrepancy, but not an uncommon one for a statewide election. He said it will be up to Secretary of State audits, or the city of Detroit investigating to determine what went wrong.
Thomas also used his time to contest other unfounded claims of voter fraud or irregularities. Michigan’s election results have been certified by bipartisan boards in all 83 of Michigan’s counties.
