FLINT, Mich. — A federal lawsuit alleges election misconduct in Flint’s Third Ward council race, citing fraudulent absentee ballot handling, vote dilution and unlawful certification of results.
The suit, filed Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, by Beverly Biggs-Leavy, who ran for the Third Ward seat, claims voters were falsely told only LaShawn Johnson’s name appeared on the ballot.
“Based on information we have obtained, there are serious concerns that LaShawn Johnson’s campaign resorted to unlawful tactics that resulted in her supposed victory,” said Larry Katz, the attorney representing Biggs-Leavy. These concerns dilute the vote of each person and each candidate who followed the law.”
Although the election results have been certified and Johnson has been sworn into office, the filing argues that those results were tainted by irregularities and should not stand. It alleges violations of Michigan election law, the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The Lawsuit names LaShawn Johnson, Roytreal Keith-Dequantye Johnson, the Genesee County Board of Canvassers, the Flint City Clerk, the Genesee County Clerk, the City of Flint and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson as defendants.
Johnson claimed victory after a much-contested race for the Third Ward seat.
The Genesee County Board of Canvassers officially credited Johnson with 322 votes from the Aug. 5 special election to fill the Flint City Council seat left vacant after the passing of Quincy Murphy.
Out of 328 write-in ballots cast for Johnson, the Genesee County Board of Canvassers only threw out six. Leaving Johnson with 322 votes for the seat.
Biggs-Leavy had 225 votes, coming in second, and A.C. Dumas came in third with 192 votes.
Johnson was not immediately available for comment by press time.