GRAND RAPIDS, MI (AP)-- The federal government is suing the state of Michigan over the failure of some local governments to get absentee ballots timely delivered to members of the armed forces.
The U.S. Justice Department asked a Grand Rapids federal judge Tuesday to order some local governments to count absentee ballots received after the August 7 primary election.
The lawsuit says dozens of clerks have said they sent absentee ballots to military voters after the June 23 deadline. Dozens more still haven't responded to a survey by the Michigan Secretary of State. The federal government says it's unclear just how widespread the problem might be.
Secretary of State Ruth Johnson said last week that a lawsuit was likely. She agrees that members of the military need to get their ballots.
