Saginaw city councilwoman, former council candidate convicted of election law forgery
A current Saginaw city councilwoman and a recent city council candidate have been convicted of election law forgery charges.
Former candidate Eric Eggleston, 53, and current city council member Monique Lamar-Silvia, 64, both of Saginaw, are accused of forging signatures on a nominating petition filed with the Saginaw City Clerk's Office in an unsuccessful bid to get Eggleston on the November 2024 general election ballot for Saginaw City Council.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel alleges that on July 23, 2024, Lamar-Silvia fraudulently signed the names of Saginaw voters to a petition form in an attempt to get Eggleston on the November ballot. Nessel accuses Eggleston of then signing the petition form and submitting the forms to the city clerk's office later the same day. Eggleston was not allowed on the ballot.
The two were charged in January.
Lamar-Silvia was convicted Friday of one count of conspiracy to do a legal act in an illegal manner, one count of election law forgery, one count of signing a nominating petition with multiple names and one count of signing a nominating petition with a name other than her own.
Eggleston was convicted of one count of conspiracy to do a legal act in an illegal manner, one count of election law forgery and one count of signing a nominating petition as a circulator when he was not the circulator.
"Forging signatures on nominating petitions undermines our democratic process," said Nessel in a statement. "I am pleased the jury recognized the seriousness of these offenses. These convictions serve as a strong reminder that no one is above the law, and my office remains committed to upholding our election laws to protect the will of voters."
Eggleston and Lamar-Silvia will be sentenced on Aug. 20.
