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The Michigan Bureau of Elections has relieved Adams Township Clerk Stephanie Scott of her duties in administering elections, including next week's vote.

The Michigan Secretary of States Office pressrelease indicated Scott failed to comply with legal requirements necessary to ensure the safety and security of upcoming elections and that Hillsdale County Clerk Marley Kasts office will supervise elections in Adams Township until further notice.

The voters of Adams Township expect, deserve, and have a right to have their election carried out in accordance with all state and federal laws, said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. I am confident that the Hillsdale County Clerk's office will administer the election in a manner that ensures that it is legal, transparent, and secure.

The release said the Adams Township clerk did not allow preventative maintenance on voting equipment, a necessary safeguard to ensure tabulators and voter assist terminals used by voters with disabilities are functioning properly on election day.

According to the Secretary of State, Scott also stated she was unwilling to complete required certifications of Public Accuracy Testing of voting machines which confirms vote counting machines are accurate and is done transparently with public viewing allowed to affirm faith in their performance.

Reportedly, Scott also said she may try to conduct future elections without the certified voting equipment selected by Hillsdale County.

Following multiple letters from the Bureau of Elections, she refused to confirm that she would fulfill her legal requirements, the release stated.

In a telephone interview Tuesday morning, Scott, who was elected in November 2020, said her issues started with the March special election in Adams Township where she had questions surrounding the ballot tabulator that were not being answered.

Scott said she was not provided enough ballots to properly test the machine to verify its accuracy in March and when she brought the issue to Kasts office, she was deferred to an outside third party.

Then, following Marchs election, Scott was asked to turn in the tabulator to the clerks office for maintenance, but she declined to do so.

Scott said the tabulator contained a cell card and a modem, which led her to believe the device is capable of connecting to the internet and, therefore, susceptible to hacking.

As a clerk, I have no control over that internet security, it all sits at the county level, Scott said. People need to contact the county clerks office to ask if the machines could be online during a vote. Im not saying anyones up to nefarious activities, but that should raise enough flags for anyone to have concerns over.

And Scott said she is now being threatened with misdemeanor charges because of her actions, in addition to having her access to certain materials or databases removed, effectively diminishing her ability to do the job Adams Township residents elected her to do.

In a follow-up conversation with Kast regarding Scotts concerns, Kast said the tabulators print unofficial results following an election and then electronically send results to her office via cell towers. The results are then compared to the print-out and certified by the Board of Canvassers whichworks diligently to certify election results.

Kast said the equipment is tested annually to verify it has not been tampered with by outside sources in order to reassure the public on election integrity at the direction from the state of Michigan.

The news release on Oct. 25 from the Michigan Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, speaks for itself, Kast said. I can tell you that I am not happy about running this upcoming Nov. 2 special election in Adams Township as my staff is already taxed to the limit. However, I am willing to serve the electors and run this election in the North Adams-Jerome Public School District during this difficult time.

Voters in Adams Township will take to the ballot box to decide the fate of a school operating millage for the North Adams-Jerome Public Schools Nov. 2.

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Adams Township clerk speaks out after being removed from election responsibilities - The Hillsdale Daily News