WEXFORD COUNTY, MI – An investigation is underway in Michigan to ascertain how exactly a Wexford County voting machine came into the possession of a Goodwill location that sold the machine online through eBay back in August. This voting machine in question was reportedly a terminal utilized in Colfax Township, described as a touchscreen interface used primarily to assist disabled voters with filling out their ballots.
For reasons yet to be determined, the machine had somehow landed in the possession of a Goodwill location in Northern Michigan, with the Goodwill store in question placing the item on eBay in August and selling it to a man in Ohio for $7.99. After this individual in Ohio, identified as a 35-year-old Uber driver named Ean Hutchinson, purchased the machine for $7.99, he, in turn, relisted the item on eBay and auctioned the machine off for $1,200.
Speaking with CNN about the quick come-up monetarily, Hutchinson detailed how he typically combs through sites like eBay to see if he can find various computer parts and the sort for cheap prices where he knows he can flip them for a “quick profit.”
“I have a knack for finding hidden gems really cheap and turning a quick profit.”
The Goodwill store was seemingly oblivious of what they were selling, with the original eBay listing simply bearing a picture of what looked like a run-of-the-mill touchscreen monitor with an item description that read, “AVALUE TECHNOLOGY Touch Panel SID-15V-Z37-B1R.”
However, Hutchinson knew what he was dealing with when noticing the credit card-like slot on the picture of the machine. The savvy computer hardware flipper set the auction at $250 to start but offered a “buy it now” option, allowing someone to drop $1,200 on the spot and land the item for themselves.
According to the listing Hutchinson put it, it’s no surprise that someone jumped on the opportunity to pick up the machine, with the Ohio man’s listing reading, “Own a piece of history! This voting machine was one of the thousands used in the 2020 United States presidential election and included in one of the many lawsuits against Dominion that were thrown out.” The individual who purchased the machine for that $1,200 was a man in Connecticut identified as Harri Hursti, who is apparently an election machine security expert and totes a collection of various machines – but specifically machines that are already retired from public elections.
Bearing concerns that this machine he purchased may be one that is still be utilized in current and forthcoming elections, Hursti contacted the Michigan secretary of state’s office about the matter, who later instructed him not to open the box it was delivered in and to await for law enforcement to retrieve the item. The machine was later determined to have originated out of Wexford County and has since been confirmed as being stolen. Yet, authorities are still trying to work out how exactly this machine found itself being donated to a Goodwill location.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson issued a statement on September 1st pertaining to the investigation, emphasizing that the machine in question does not “tabulate ballots” but is simply designed to help mark ballots for disabled voters.
“We are working with law enforcement to investigate allegations of an illegal attempt to sell a voter assist terminal acquired in Wexford County, MI. These terminals do not tabulate ballots. They are for voters who need help marking their ballot privately at polling places. Our elections are and remain safe and secure. We take seriously all violations of election law and will be working with authorities to ensure there are consequences for those who break the law.”
Cadillac News reported that Goodwill Northern Michigan Director of Communications Deb Lake issued a statement confirming their cooperation with law enforcement but also mentioned that her team handles “thousands of donations” weekly so as to highlight that there likely was nothing nefarious transpiring within Goodwill’s seemingly inadvertent participation in the trafficking of this machine.
This piece was written by Gregory Hoyt on September 3, 2022. It originally appeared in RedVoiceMedia.com and is used by permission.
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