LANSING — Michigan officials say they are preparing to launch a criminal investigation after election equipment at the center of a voting tabulator conspiracy theory went missing this week in a rural, conservative community.

Adams Township Clerk Stephanie Scott, a Republican whose social media has included QAnon memes, had refused to allow a vendor to conduct routine maintenance on a Hart Intercivic Inc. voting machine.

Hillsdale County Clerk Marney Kast, a fellow Republican who the state tasked with running the local election instead of Scott, told Bridge Michigan her office attempted to retrieve the Adams Township equipment earlier this week but was unable to locate the tablet, which she described as the “brains” of the machine.

"I don't know where it's at or if it's been tampered with," Kast said.

Scott, the Adams Township clerk, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday from Bridge.

In a rare move, the Michigan Bureau of Elections this week stripped Scott of her election administration authority, accusing the first-term clerk of refusing to fulfill her “legal responsibilities” and spreading misinformation about the tabulators used in Hillsdale County.

https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/voting-machine-missing-after-michigan-clerk-stripped-election-power