Former Flint Township clerk sentenced for misconduct in office

On Tuesday, former Flint Township Clerk Kathy Funk, 59, of Flint, was sentenced in Genesee County Circuit Court by Judge Mark Latchana, for her attempts to render ballots ineligible for a recount process, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced.

Funk was sentenced to 2 years probation, 6 months of house arrest and tether compliance, a $1,000 fine and $1,000 in court costs on one count of Misconduct in Office, to which she pled no contest. Funk purposely broke a seal on a ballot container so that the votes inside, under Michigan Election Law, could not be counted in an anticipated recount. After the fact she contended the damage may be the result of a break-in, but no break-in had occurred, and the story had been fabricated. Funk was running for re-election, and narrowly prevailed in the unofficial count. The crime occurred during the August 2020 primary elections.  

“The integrity of election officials is crucial to the survival of our democracy,” said Nessel. “We remain committed to prosecuting offenses against free and fair elections regardless of the offender's political party. Any attack against our elections, from the local level and beyond, is an affront to our core American values.”   

In 2021, Funk left her position with Flint Township to become the Genesee County elections supervisor, a role she no longer holds. As a term of her probation, Funk must issue a written letter of apology to the voters of Flint Township.