Fifteen candidates including a current state senator, a notable 2020 election denier and a Congressional candidate were disqualified from the 2022 primary election ballots, the Michigan Department of State announced late Tuesday. The disqualifications were for a mix of violations of state election law.
Sen. Betty Alexander, D-Detroit, was among 11 candidates the state department said made false statements about complying with the Michigan Campaign Finance Act. She was running for reelection in the 6th state Senate district, which after redistricting covers Detroit suburbs like Redford Township and Farmington Hills.
Other candidates in those 11 include John Rocha, a Republican endorsed by former President Donald Trump running for the 78th state House district, and 11th state Senate district candidate Mellissa Carone, who pushed false claims of election fraud in statehouse testimony after the 2020 election.
The other eight candidates are:
- Ronald Cole (7th state House district)
- Kahlilia Davis (36th District Court Judge)
- Eddie Kabacinski (14th state House district)
- Chris Martin (54B District Court Judge)
- Vernon Molnar (7th state Senate district)
- Alberta Talabi (3rd state State district)
- Chase Turner (49th state House district)
- Lawanda Turner (11th state House district)
The Department of State did not lay out each candidate’s specific violation, but it noted Michigan requires candidates filing affidavits for office to state that “all statements, reports, late filing fees, and fines” required of the candidate or their committee have been filed or paid.
The other four candidates disqualified on Tuesday were nixed from Michigan’s Aug. 2 primary ballot because their filings indicated they were not eligible to run in the districts they chose, the state department said.
They include Faiz Aslam, a newcomer to the 6th Congressional District race, a seat held by U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell. The other three candidates were Michael Shallal (57th state House district), Steven Thomas (31st state Senate district) and Howard Weathington (3rd state Senate district).
“Courts have determined that the Department of State must require strict compliance with the Michigan Election Law for candidate affidavits of identity,” the department said in its announcement. If their affidavit has a false statement or omits required information, the candidate cannot be certified for the ballot.
None of these 15 candidates were disqualified for not having enough signatures in their nominating petitions. That is determined by the Michigan Board of State Canvassers, which will meet on May 26. Twenty-eight candidates have had their petition signatures formally challenged, including multiple gubernatorial and Congressional candidates.
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