Filed Date: Nov. 11, 2020
Closed Date: Nov. 16, 2020
Clearinghouse coding complete
This case challenged the certification of Michigan’s presidential electors for the 2020 election, citing various reports of irregularities and fraud in Ingham, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties, all of which voted overwhelming for Joe Biden. On November 11, 2020, three Michigan voters filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. They sued the Governor of Michigan, the Michigan Board of Canvassers, the Ingham County Board of Canvassers, the Washtenaw County Board of Canvassers, and the Wayne County Board of Canvassers under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.
Represented by private counsel, the plaintiffs alleged there was sufficient evidence to call into doubt the election results in those three counties and that counting illegal votes in the identified counties would dilute plaintiffs’ legal votes, in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The plaintiffs sought declaratory relief and an injunction requiring defendants to exclude all votes from those three counties in the state’s presidential election results, as well as attorneys’ fees. The case was assigned to District Judge Janet Neff.
On November 13, 2020, a memorandum regarding a potentially related case was returned to the Clerk from Magistrate Judge Kent noting that many of the allegations in this lawsuit were lifted directly from Donald J. Trump For President v. Benson.
On November 16, 2020, the plaintiffs moved to voluntarily dismiss their complaint.
This case appears closed.
Summary Authors
John McGinnis (9/9/2025)
Donald J. Trump For President, Inc. v. Benson, Western District of Michigan (2020)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/18620198/parties/bally-v-whitmer/
Bressack, Darryl G. (Michigan)
Fink, David H. (Michigan)
Fink, Nathan Joshua (Michigan)
Driker, Eugene (Michigan)
Glazek, Stephen E. (Michigan)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/18620198/bally-v-whitmer/
Last updated March 14, 2026, 4:53 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA) project
Key Dates
Filing Date: Nov. 11, 2020
Closing Date: Nov. 16, 2020
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Michigan voters who voted in the 2020 presidential election
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
County
Ingham County Board of Canvassers
Washtenaw County Board of Canvassers
Wayne County Board of County Canvassers
State
Governor of Michigan
Michigan Board of Canvassers
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
Western District of Michigan 1:20-cv-01088
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Voting:
Case Summary of Bally v. Whitmer, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/44472/ (last updated 9/9/2025).