Township board clears path for local election polling sites

Springfield Township election officials confirmed on Thursday that voting will proceed in local municipal buildings next week. The board voted to reaffirm the clerk’s right to use township resources, overriding an objection raised by Township Supervisor Richard Davis.

Davis is not present at the special meeting but had sent a long email to Township Clerk Sean Miller. Davis argued that the municipality should not use its own buildings to administer the vote. He stated that all requests for employees, equipment, or facilities must be coordinated through his office before any commitments are made.

Miller responded to the written directive during the joint session. He noted that Davis generated the extensive information request with the help of ChatGPT. Miller pointed out that Davis found time to draft the email but did not attend the in-person meeting.

The board’s decision allows the clerk to use two fire stations and one other municipal building as polling locations. This approach follows standard practice for running local elections. Attendees described the supervisor’s stance as an alarming departure from typical procedures.

Stacey McDuffie, who attended the meeting, expressed concern about the timing. She said it is worrying that the board had to pause its work so close to the election date to determine if residents can vote in a fair and balanced way.

CBS News Detroit contacted Davis on Thursday for a comment. As of the evening, he had not responded.