“Interest in granting access to unqualified third parties to conduct a ‘forensic audit’ may stem from misplaced reliance on ongoing misinformation, which has been repeatedly, comprehensively, and definitively debunked,” wrote Jonathan Brater, director of the Michigan Bureau of Elections, in a letter to Cheboygan County Clerk Karen Brewster. In a separate letter to all Michigan counties that use its equipment, Dominion warned that transferring machines to unaccredited auditors could void licensing agreements and render the equipment “unqualified for official use.” The letter also warned that restoring certification to machines examined by third parties could be costly — and that cost would fall on local governments. “Remember, your voting system is deemed critical infrastructure by the U.S. government and should be utilized, maintained and protected as such,” states the letter, which was sent in early May. “Chain of custody breaches may require a separate forensic audit and software reinstallation by an accredited lab.”