A Michigan Democrat and former Flint Township Clerk was sentenced to six months of house arrest on Monday after she was accused of sabotaging a ballot box to prevent a recount in her election.
Judge Mark Latchana sentenced Democrat Kathy Funk to six months of house arrest with an electronic monitor after the former local official was accused of breaking the seal on a ballot box. Funk was also ordered to write a public apology.
Funk, 59, won the Democratic nomination for Flint Township clerk in 2020 by 79 votes out of roughly 5,300. Following the primary election, investigators reported that Funk sabotaged a ballot box to ensure that the votes could not be recounted.
She initially reported to authorities that she believed someone had broken into the township hall and damaged the seal on the ballot box.
“Funk stated at some point she entered a locked storage room which is next to her office. Upon entering the room she observed (that) it was in disarray and noticed a shelf on the west (left) wall had been knocked down,” the police report stated. “She observed several items had been moved but it did not appear that anything was missing.”
Earlier this year, Funk pleaded no contest to one count of misconduct in office. The charge is a felony, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
“Election officials must uphold the integrity of their position and ensure every vote is accurately counted,” Nessel stated in January. “Those who abuse that commitment undermine the very foundation of our democracy and will be held accountable.”
As part of the plea agreement, Funk avoided jail time and had a felony charge of ballot tampering dropped.
On Monday, Latchana stated that Funk potentially avoided jail time due to overcrowding.
“I’m sure there’s a segment of the population that thinks you should be locked up for calling into question the integrity of an election,” the judge said. “And if we had unlimited jail space, perhaps that’s true. But we don’t.”
In 2021, Funk stepped away from the township position and accepted the role of elections supervisor for Genesee County. However, she was terminated from the position in December 2022 while her case was pending.
Funk’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment, the Daily Caller News Foundation reported.
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