Nasser Beydoun (L) and Anil Kumar (R) | Courtesy photos
The Michigan Court of Appeals has rejected a lawsuit filed by Dearborn businessman Nasser Beydoun requesting access to the Aug. 6 primary ballot after the Board of State Canvassers blocked him from the ballot.
The board rejected Beydoun’s petitions to appear on the Aug. 6 primary ballot as a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate for listing a post office box as the address on his nominating petitions, rather than a street address as required by state law.
An opinion Friday from Judges Mark J. Cavanagh, Jane E. Markey and James Robert Redford found the board properly declined to certify the Beydoun as a candidate.
Also on Friday, Anil Kumar, a member of the Wayne State Board of Governors, announced a lawsuit arguing his campaign has the number of valid signatures needed to qualify for the ballot.
On May 31, the Board of State Canvassers concurred with the Bureau of Elections recommendations that Kumar, who filed to run as a Democrat in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District, did not submit enough valid signatures to make the ballot, with bureau staff finding “clear indications of fraud” on at least 47 of Kumar’s petition sheets.
The board similarly invalidated petitions filed by Rhonda Powell, who was also seeking the Democratic nomination in the 10th Congressional District.
The district seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. John James (R-Shelby Twp.), who is running unopposed in the Republican primary. The remaining Democrats looking to unseat James are Emily Busch, former Judge Carl Marlinga, Tiffany Tilley and Diane Young.
Kumar has filed the suit against the board with the Michigan Court of Appeals, seeking certification as an eligible candidate on the August primary ballot.
He released a statement arguing the Board of Canvassers had incorrectly disqualified at least 94 valid signatures, and that his campaign had the sufficient number of signatures needed to make the ballot.
“To deprive Michigan voters of their chance to vote on the candidate of their choice is undemocratic and wrong. I am confident we will be placed on the ballot, we will win in August, and we will take the fight to John James in November,” Kumar said.
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The post Beydoun’s disqualification challenge fails, Kumar files suit for ballot access appeared first on Michigan Advance.