A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the Muskegon County Election Division on October 30, 2024. The request was made by us at the Muskegon Sun, a media organization dedicated to delivering comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The request sought access to records under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act § 15.231 et seq., specifically for the pre-election test reports of voting machines used in the county’s elections. We requested these reports in an electronic format, preferably as PDF files.
The specific fields we asked for in the report include the test date, machine manufacture, machine model number, and machine status – whether it passed or failed the pre-election test.
As a media organization, our role involves gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to public records such as these is crucial for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These responsibilities include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
We believe that given our role in disseminating information, we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional. We eagerly await a response from the Muskegon County Election Division regarding this request.
