Barry County Sheriff Vows to Investigate Midterm Election Claims
Local officials in Michigan prepare for the November 3 vote as federal agencies and state sheriffs assert new roles in overseeing the process.
By Giulia Marshall ·
In a wood-panelled room in Barry County, Mich., a dozen new poll workers learned to operate vote-tabulating machines and process absentee ballots.
Before the three-hour training session began, Clerk Sarah VanDenburg thanked the group for helping preserve democracy. Her county will hold its polls on Tuesday, November 3, amid growing claims that routine election tasks invite fraud.
Sheriff Dar Leaf has led local efforts to challenge the integrity of the vote. For six years, he has circulated claims that foreign nationals hacked voting machines in 2020. He is now investigating whether non-citizens were added to the 2026 voter rolls, despite studies showing such voting is rare.
"I have a duty to go out and investigate, and I'm not gonna back down," Leaf told CBC News at his Hastings headquarters. He is a prominent member of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, which encourages its members to probe unfounded fraud theories.
Leaf attempted to seize voting machines in 2021 and 2022 but was rebuffed by the courts. He said he would likely seize ballots again if given a good reason, intending to seek a court order afterward. His approach mirrors a similar move by California Sheriff Chad Bianco, who seized 650,000 ballots in 2024 before a court ordered their return.
Federal authorities have also increased their involvement. The Department of Justice is battling 30 states for access to voter information, while the FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been tasked with investigating fraud. President Donald Trump has mused about declaring a national emergency to alter how votes are counted, a move legal experts say is likely unconstitutional.
Local groups are preparing for potential disruptions on election day. Autumn Butler, deputy executive director of Michigan United, is training democracy defenders in de-escalation tactics to manage confrontations with crowds or federal agents. VanDenburg recently briefed Leaf’s deputies on polling station rules, including restrictions on armed officers, to help keep the atmosphere calm.
