Cissell Charged with Voter Fraud

Cissell Charged with Voter Fraud in Petition for Prop. A

(Crystal A. Proxmire, Oct. 16, 2013)

Anderew Cissell, the man who turned in signatures to get the marijuana decriminalization proposal on the Ferndale ballot for Nov. 5, is in even more legal trouble as the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office has filed voter fraud charges against him. Cissell is already facing several felony drug charges after police say he sold drugs to an informant and his home in Oak Park was raided.

The election fraud charge came after Cissell applied for a voter registration card in Ferndale using his father’s address just before circulating and turning in the petitions to have Proposal A on the Ferndale ballot. Police and Cissell’s father say the 25 year old was living in Oak Park at the time, and had not lived in Ferndale for three years.

If passed, Proposal A would symbolically allow people in Ferndale over the age of 21 to possess or transfer up to an ounce of marijuana on private property. However, the ordinance would have no legal weight as marijuana is still illegal under Federal and State laws, with the exception of allowances for registered medical marijuana patients by the state.

The voter fraud misdemeanor could cost Cissell up to 93 days in jail. The marijuana-related felonies could be up to four years each.

Proposal A remains on the ballot in Ferndale for the people to decide on Nov. 5.

Former Mayor and current mayoral candidate Craig Covey has stepped up to fill the shoes of spokesperson in support of Proposal A. He will be representing the “Yes” side in a forum about the issue that will take place on Oct. 26. The forum is a non-partisan forum hosted by Citizens for Fair Ferndale, and it takes place at the Ferndale Public Library. The forum has times for all ballot sections, 12:30-2:00 p.m. for the Mayoral Forum, 2:15-3:00 p.m. for the City Council Forum, 3:00-3:45 p.m. for the Proposal A Forum, and 3:45-4:00 p.m. Library Board Candidates.

“I’ve yet to find anyone as I go door to door who is opposing the proposal,” Covey said. He declined giving comment as to Cissell’s legal issues, stating that the legal issues are separate from the ballot proposal and the issue of marijuana decriminalization. City Council voted against accepting the petition as an ordinance, with only Councilperson Daniel Martin casting a ‘yes’ vote, thus sending it to the Nov. 5 ballot. Similar ordinances have passed in other cities including Ann Arbor, Detroit and Grand Rapids. Jackson and Lansing voters will also have their say on the issue Nov. 5.