UNITED STATES−Sherikia Hawkins, a City Clerk from Southfield, Michigan is facing up to 48 years if convicted on 6 felonies regarding falsifying records in Michigan’s 2018 election. Hawkins is still employed as the City Clerk and has not been charged. Hawkins was charged with the following:

  • Count One. Election Law – Falsifying Returns/Records, a five-year felony and/or $1,000;
  • Count Two. Forgery of a Public Record, a 14-year felony;
  • Count Three. Misconduct in Office, a five-year felony and/or $10,000;
  • Count Four. Using a Computer to Commit a Crime – Election Law – Falsifying Returns/Records, a seven-year felony and/or $5,000;
  • Count Five. Using a Computer to Commit a Crime – Forgery of a Public Record, a 10-year felony and/or $10,000;
  • Count Six. Using a Computer to Commit a Crime – Misconduct in Office, a seven-year felony and/or $5,000.

The case was expected to go to trial in June 2020. According to the state of Michigan website on June 11, 2020, the complaint alleges, that Hawkins, while serving as City Clerk in Southfield used a computer to fraudulently alter or change the Qualified Voter File in the 2018 General Election. During the process, it falsely reflected logged absentee ballots were voided after arriving in envelopes not signed by the voter.

“The voters of our state deserve a process that is unobstructed. That is why I am committed to doing everything in my power to protect our elections from every conceivable threat. The foundation of our democracy depends on it,” said Attorney General Dana Nessel.

“There were no voters that were disenfranchised,” said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in September when the charges were announced.

The judges in the 46th district disqualified themselves which resulted in the appointment of a visiting judge from the 45th judicial district to conduct the preliminary examination.

The case will now move to the Oakland County Circuit Court for trial. She was scheduled to appear in front of Judge Leo Bowman at 8:30 a.m. on June 23.

Canyon News reached out to the Southfield City Clerk’s Office and the non-emergency number to the police department to find out if Hawkins was still employed there or if she had been arrested.  Kim at the Southfield City offices and another employee confirmed that  Shekiria Hawkins still works in the City Clerk’s office, however, she is not permitted to work on elections.

“The City Clerk serves as the Director of Elections for all elections held in the City of Southfield. The Clerk administers all elections and supervises the registration of voters, division of precincts, and training of election inspectors,” states the city of Southfield website.

Hawkins was elected to City Clerk in 2017 and previously served as the city of Pontiac City Clerk working in the system for the last 13 years.

There were two other instances of alleged voter fraud. In 2017, involving the Wayne County, school board election. Ronald Lee Miller reportedly received the most votes, ut another individual was declared the winner.

In another incident, a recount for the 2016 Presidential election in the city of Taylor.