ANN ARBOR – Leaders in Washtenaw County issued a joint statement on Friday morning expressing concern over safety as voters drop off their ballots and head to the polls on Tuesday. The contentious environment surrounding the election and its aftermath, as well as feedback from community leaders, has the group worried about what voters might experience this election. The statement was issued by the Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Milan, Northfield, Saline, Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University and University of Michigan police departments, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, Washtenaw County, Michigan State Police and Rep. Debbie Dingell. "To that end, please note the following;• Washtenaw County Clerk, Larry Kestenbaum has consulted with all of the local election officials to ensure voting integrity. • Local law enforcement leaders in consultation with the municipal and township elected/appointed leaders have developed strategies that support post-election community safety.

Two right-wing political operatives at the center of a robocall scam in Detroit and other U.S. cities have been ordered to call their victims back with a corrective message. Jack Burkman, 54, from Arlington, Virginia and Jacob Wohl, 22, from Los Angeles were ordered by a U.S. district court Wednesday to issue “curative” robocalls to individuals that were previously targeted by an alleged voter-intimidation scheme. Burkman and Wohl were arraigned in Michigan earlier this month. On Wednesday, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ordered Burkman and Wohl to issue a new robocall to correct the misinformation contained in the initial calls made in August. Not only did Defendants incite fears of these grim consequences, but they baselessly tied the prospects to mail-in voting.

DETROIT – Two right-wing political operatives accused of voter intimidation in Michigan have turned themselves in to authorities in Detroit, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Thursday. Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl appeared virtually for arraignment on multiple felony charges in the 36th District Court in Detroit. Burkman’s probable cause conference is scheduled for Oct. 15 and his preliminary exam is scheduled for Oct. 21 in front of Judge Roberta Archer. Wohl’s probable cause conference is scheduled for Oct. 15 and his preliminary exam is scheduled for Oct. 20 in front of Judge Kenneth King. Arraignments begin at 10:30 a.m., but Burkman and Wohl will be called to appear in order of the court’s established list of cases.

Officials in Michigan are reminding residents it’s a crime to threaten or intimidate people over their right to vote, even ahead of what’s expected to be a very contentious election. “You know what we have is a very contentious election coming up,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said. “It is a federal crime to interfere with somebody’s right to vote.”Schneider spoke with the Local 4 Defenders just 36 days before the presidential election. “When people are angry, they take to Facebook.”He said officials are looking for those cases so they can bring people to justice. Arguing over politics is an American tradition and protected by the First Amendment, but threatening people to keep them from voting is a crime, Schneider said.