Groups prepare to defend Detroit elections from 'federal interference'

Louis Aguilar, The Detroit News on Jul 28, 2026

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DETROIT — Two coalitions say they are taking steps to protect Detroit and Michigan elections from "federal interference" during August primary and again during the November general election as President Donald Trump raises concern about possible widespread voting fraud.

A group representing interfaith clergies asked the Detroit City Council on Tuesday to sign a pledge that states in part the council will "refuse to comply with any unlawful executive orders or U.S. Department of Justice requests that seek to restrict voting, and faithfully certify and/or seat the rightfully elected winners," of the Aug. 4 primary and the Nov. 3 general election.

The pledge is part of a national effort by Faith in US, an interfaith group of clergy. About 14 different religious leaders from Metro Detroit attended Tuesday's City Council meeting, urging the nine council members to sign the pledge.

"We are facing the greatest threat to our democracy and our democratic process," said Rev. Louis Forsythe, pastor of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, 13651 Dequindre St., on the city's northeast side.

Council members Denzel McCampbell and Gabriela Santiago-Romero said they would sign the pledge, which is symbolic and not legally binding. City Council President James Tate told a clergy member "we are on the same page." The other council members didn't comment on the pledge.

Rev. Paul Perez of Central United Methodist Church said his downtown Detroit church is also a polling station and that he and others in the group are working with other organizations to ensure that polling monitors will be on site.

"We are not going to escalate any situation, but we want to be prepared to document anything," he said. "We're here because of our concern for federal intervention that undermines confidence in our state and local election administration processes, and that's really aimed at suppressing the vote, intimidating voters, limiting access to the ballot."

Also on Tuesday afternoon, another coalition, Hands Off Michigan, launched a statewide "election protection effort" aimed at "ensuring every eligible voter can cast a ballot safely, confidently, and free from intimidation," according to a statement.

The group said it will seek to deploy thousands of trained volunteers to polling locations statewide and respond to reports of voter intimidation. Hands Off is a national coalition that has helped organize massive protests against the Trump administration in every state. Among the local groups involved are Oakland Forward, Michigan Education Justice Coalition, MI Poder, 482forward, We The People MI, Protect the Vote, Rising Voices, Detroit Action and Michigan United.

Many of the groups have been involved with monitoring local election processes, including training poll challengers and monitors, but this year the coalition has a goal of having up to 2,500 poll challengers for the August primary and 5,000 for November, officials said.

"That is a lofty goal but I believe we can rise to the occasion," said Ra Shad Frazier-Gaines, a deputy director at the nonprofit Michigan United, who will help lead the statewide effort. "What you are seeing is the urgency of the moment."

Detroit and Michigan's elections have long been a target of Trump, who has maintained for years that widespread fraud caused him to lose the state in the 2020 presidential race. He and his supporters have not provided evidence to prove their claims.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice has informed Michigan officials it intends to send election monitors to Detroit, East Lansing and Lansing, in the battleground state for the Aug. 4 primary. The Department of Justice has already sought a complete copy of Michigan's registered voter list and voting records from Wayne County, where Detroit is located.

Detroit election officials say they have not heard any more details about U.S. Department of Justice plans, but federal election monitors are common.

Voters will pick party nominees for governor, state Legislature and U.S. Congress for the November general election on Aug. 4.

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