Michigan Clerk Accused in Trump’s False Elector Scheme Reinstated to Run Elections

Stan Grot, the Shelby Township clerk in Michigan, is back in charge of running elections after being stripped of that duty for three years amid felony charges tied to his role in the 2020 “false elector” scheme for Donald Trump.

Grot was one of 16 people charged by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel for submitting a false slate of electors intended to overturn Joe Biden’s clear victory in the state. The charges, which included election law forgery and conspiracy, were dropped last September after a judge ruled prosecutors failed to prove criminal intent.

Despite the dismissal, Nessel has been clear that the false elector effort was unlawful and an attack on democratic norms. In a detailed 110-page report, she called the actions “wrong” and a threat to election integrity.

During the legal limbo, Grot was removed from administering Shelby Township’s elections, replaced by an unelected deputy to “ensure public trust.” Now, the Michigan Department of State has officially reinstated him. Grot, who has been township clerk since 2012 and often ran unopposed, won re-election even while barred from election duties.

Grot and his attorney have maintained his innocence, claiming he signed the false certification only as a contingency plan advised by party officials, anticipating a possible overturned result that never came. He described the ordeal as “pure hell” and downplayed elections as a “very small” part of his job.

Shelby Township, home to roughly 80,000 residents, will see its next election in August with Grot back at the helm — a stark reminder that the fallout from the 2020 election subversion attempts continues to ripple through local governance.

This case highlights the ongoing struggle to hold accountable those who sought to undermine the democratic process, even as courts demand high standards of proof for criminal convictions. The question remains: how many more false elector plots will be excused as mere political contingency rather than criminal conspiracy?