A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Calhoun County Election Division on October 30, 2024. The request was made by us at Battle Creek Times, a media organization dedicated to providing 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 pre-election test reports of election voting machines used in the county. We requested these reports in PDF format with specific fields including the test date, machine manufacture, machine model number, and machine status indicating whether it passed or failed.
As members of the media, we are committed to gathering and reporting news to the public. Access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
We continue to strive towards ensuring that our community is well-informed about all aspects of local governance, including the integrity and reliability of voting systems. This FOIA request is part of our ongoing efforts towards this goal.
Alerts Sign-up