State Court of Appeals reverses Republican win on absentee ballot stubs

A Michigan Court of Appeals ruling overturned a previous decision and said absentee ballots with missing or mismatched ballot stubs can still be counted. In a panel ruling issued Friday, June 26, three judges concluded that the state Legislature did not bar election inspectors from tabulating absent-voter ballots with stubs that are absent or do not match. The decision reversed a December 2025 ruling by the Court of Claims in a lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee, the state Republican Party and Chesterfield Township Clerk Cindy Berry. The appellate court also found the lower court exceeded its authority by imposing a 10-point handling process. The case concerns a detachable numbered stub used for ballot return envelopes as a security measure. The guidance challenged relates to whether such ballots should be treated as “challenged” yet still tabulated. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office said the decision rejected “baseless claims,” continuing her legal wins while Republican leaders sought to limit the practice.