MICHIGAN, USA — The Michigan Department of State issued letters to 15 candidates on Tuesday who are disqualified from the August 2, 2022 Primary Election.
Among the candidates who are disqualified, eight are Republican, four are Democrat, two are nonpartisan and one candidate's affiliation is unknown.
Four of the 15 candidates were disqualified for missing information or information that indicates the candidate is not eligible in the jurisdiction:
- Faiz Aslam (6th District Representative in Congress)
- Michael Shallal (R) (57th District Representative in State Legislature)
- Steven Thomas (R) (31st District State Senator)
- Howard Weathington (R) (3rd District State Senator)
The courts determined that the candidates who omit required information cannot be certified to appear on the ballot, in compliance with the Michigan Election Law for candidate affidavits of identity.
Eleven other candidates have been disqualified because of false statements regarding the candidate’s compliance with the Michigan Campaign Finance Act:
- Betty Alexander (D) (6th District State Senator)
- Mellissa Carone (R) (11th District State Senator)
- Ronald Cole (R) (7th District Representative in State Legislature)
- Kahlilia Davis (NP) (36th District Court Judge)
- Eddie Kabacinski (R) (14th District Representative in State Legislature)
- Chris Martin (NP) (54B District Court Judge)
- Vernon Molnar (D) (7th District State Senator)
- Jon Rocha (R) (78th District Representative in State Legislature)
- Alberta Talabi (D) (3rd District State Senator)
- Chase Turner (R) (49th District Representative in State Legislature)
- Lawanda Turner (D) (11th District Representative in State Legislature)
The eleven candidates listed above "all had outstanding campaign finance reports or unpaid fines at the time they signed the affidavit of identity," according to a release by the Department of State.
"Some of the candidates paid fines after signing their affidavit of identity, or subsequently paid their fines, then withdrew their affidavits of identity and filed new affidavits of identity. Regardless of steps the candidates took after submitting affidavits of identity with false statements, the Department is prohibited by the Michigan Election Law from certifying the candidates’ names to the ballots for this election because they executed an affidavit of identity containing a false statement," the release added.
Some of the notable candidates who were disqualified are:
- Kahlilia Davis (NP), who is currently a sitting judge on Michigan's Thirty-sixth Judicial District Court.
- Vernon Molnar (D), who previously ran as a Republican in 2010 and 2012.
- Alberta Talabi (D), who has held several public office positions from 1987-2017, including being a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, representing District 2.
- Chase Turner (R), who previously ran for Michigan House of Representatives and lost in 2020.
- Betty Alexander (D), who is currently the incumbent Democratic Senator representing District 5.
- Mellissa Carone (R), who was made famous for testifying alongside Rudy Giuliani during a state House committee hearing on election fraud.
- John Rocha (R), who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
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