Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini has disclosed that non-citizens are being summoned for jury duty in Michigan at what he describes as an “alarming rate,” based on research conducted by his office.
The findings have sparked concerns about the reliability and integrity of both the county’s jury and voter systems.
Forlini, who is seeking the Republican nomination for Michigan Secretary of State, explained that Macomb’s jury pools are compiled from the state’s driver’s license and ID database.
He said some non-citizens are slipping through the system, and a cross-check with the Qualified Voter File (QVF) showed that a handful of these individuals may also have voter registrations.
The Detroit Free Press reports that between Sept. 5 and Jan. 8, county staff identified 239 people in the jury pool who self-reported as non-citizens. Of those, 14 had been registered to vote previously, and 10 remain eligible.
Three individuals had voting histories, including one person who voted multiple times before being removed from the rolls. Forlini said all instances are being referred to the proper authorities, including the county corporation counsel.
“This could compromise the entire judicial system,” Forlini warned, emphasizing that self-reporting is currently the only method to identify non-citizens in jury pools. “How is it possible that non-citizens were even given the opportunity to serve?”
The discovery has placed a heavy administrative burden on county staff. Removing non-citizens from jury lists requires manual processing, which has strained resources and revealed the need for stronger verification procedures.
“This has caused our office to spend an unreasonable amount of time processing jury dismissals that should never have occurred,” Forlini said.
Former Secretary of State Candice Miller echoed these concerns, stressing the importance of lawful participation.
“We want citizens to participate in both things, citizens being the operative phrase there,” she told FOX 2 Detroit, highlighting the need for accuracy in both voter registration and jury service.
State Rep. Joe Aragona called for additional oversight, urging the matter be examined by the state committee in Lansing.
“This is a serious problem that needs proper scrutiny to maintain public trust in elections and the judicial process,” he said.
The Secretary of State’s office clarified that jury pools are drawn from driver’s license and ID records, not voter files.
Spokeswoman Cheri Hardmon emphasized that only U.S. citizens who meet residency and age requirements may vote and that any reports of irregularities are investigated and referred to law enforcement when warranted.
Monika Rittner, supervisor of records for the Circuit Court, described procedures for removing non-citizens from jury and voter lists. Individuals who declare non-citizenship are prompted to provide documentation verifying their status.
Rittner noted that similar cross-checks were recently conducted when the county removed deceased voters from the rolls.
While Oakland County has not reported similar issues, Macomb officials say their findings expose broader vulnerabilities in the system.
Forlini added that the county continues to monitor the situation and update its software to prevent future errors, ensuring that only qualified citizens participate in both jury service and elections.
