Hillsdale County Clerk Abe Dane has responded to allegations from America First Conservatives questioning the handling of local election records.
Lance Lashaway, representing the Hillsdale Conservatives, sent a letter to the Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners, claiming that Dane had admitted to destroying election records.
Dane called the allegations “factually false.”
Dane explained that, after elections, data on laptops and flash drives is deleted within seven days if no recounts or audits are needed. He said deleting the files is a security measure, which is mandated by the Bureau of Elections, to keep voters’ personal information safe.
He noted that all official election records are stored, long-term, on paper or uploaded to secure systems, as required by law.
During their regular meeting on Tuesday, Lashaway addressed the Board of Commissioners to demand they take action.
Commissioners Chairman Mark Wiley called Lashaway’s allegations a “stretch.”
The Commissioners took no action on the demands.
The allegations are not new. The Hillsdale Conservatives were kicked out of their booth at the Hillsdale County Fair for posting a photo disparaging Dane and making similar claims about election records.