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Saginaw City Council Member, Recent Council Candidate Convicted of Election Law Forgery Charges

LANSING – Today, former candidate for the Saginaw City Council Eric Eggleston, 53, and current Saginaw City Council member Monique Lamar-Silvia, 64, both of Saginaw, were found guilty of multiple felonies by a Saginaw County jury, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Both were convicted of forging signatures on a nominating petition filed with the Saginaw City Clerk’s Office in an unsuccessful attempt to get Eggleston on the 2024 November General Election ballot as a candidate for City Council. 

Eggleston was convicted of:

  • One count of Conspiracy to do a Legal Act in an Illegal Manner, a five-year felony;
  • One count of Election Law Forgery, a five-year felony; and
  • One count of Signing a Nominating Petition as a Circulator When He Was Not the Circulator, a 93-day misdemeanor.

Lamar-Silvia was convicted 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, a five-year felony; and
  • One count of Signing a Nominating Petition with a Name Other Than Her Own, a 93-day misdemeanor.

“Forging signatures on nominating petitions undermines our democratic process,” Nessel said. “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.”

On July 23, 2024, Lamar-Silvia fraudulently signed the names of Saginaw voters to a petition form meant to secure Eggleston’s place on the ballot. Eggleston then signed the petition form, falsely certifying that he was the circulator, and submitted both forms to the clerk’s office shortly before the filing deadline that same day. Eggleston was not granted placement on the ballot.

This matter was referred to the Attorney General by the Michigan Department of State following an investigation into a complaint of apparent election fraud made by the Saginaw City Clerk. Eggleston and Lamar-Silvia were charged by the Department of Attorney General in January.

Eggleston and Lamar-Silvia will be sentenced before Judge Andre Borrello in the 10th Circuit Court in Saginaw County on August 20.

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