GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY — A proposal to recall Grand Traverse County Prosecuting Attorney Noelle Moeggenberg relied on 13,083 signatures of qualified voters in the county being delivered to the Michigan Secretary of State by the end of the day Friday.
That did not happen.
“We ran out of time,” said Brenda DeKuiper, who confirmed that they had not yet reached their 14,000-signature goal.
She declined to give the exact number of signatures that were gathered, repeating “we fell short.” As a result, voters will not see the recall proposal on the Grand Traverse County ballot in the November election, but DeKuiper said they’re not done.
“We’re not going to quit,” she said. “We’re not giving up. You know, we learned a lot from it, and we’ll know things to do different next time.”
Moeggenberg was contacted by the Record-Eagle Friday, but had no comment.
The committee to recall Moeggenberg from office was formed after several tragedies led to criminal cases that ended in plea bargains and dismissed charges.
Recall committee leaders Andrea Flowers and her daughter, Elizabeth Nack, along with Brenda DeKuiper and Scott Weston – all family members of victims in several cases – say their loved ones never received the justice they deserved because of the way Moeggenberg chose to prosecute these crimes.
After rejecting the initial language that was submitted by DeKuiper in May, the Michigan Board of State Canvassers unanimously approved the revised petition on June 5, which allowed the recall committee to collect signatures.
“That was part of our problem getting this whole process started,” Flowers said. “We had to go back and forth with Lansing for about six weeks, longer than we probably should have.
“That actually cut us short on our 60-day window to collect signatures for the November ballot.”
According to Flowers, the committee still has two more opportunities to get the question put on the spring 2027 ballot.
DeKuiper is calling that “Phase Two.”
“We knew it was going to be an uphill battle, and we would have a mountain to climb,” DeKuiper said. “But we all felt we had to do it anyway – not just for Sam, the 4-year-old known as Angel, and Scott’s family – but for all those victims who came before us, and all those who will follow if a change is not made.
“This recall had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with right and wrong. When people would come to sign and would share their story, one thing became clear: This injustice for the innocent victims in this community has to stop.”
Through their recall committee, “people were learning they had a voice and now had an avenue in which to share their hurt and their frustration for the lack of justice, and law and order in this county,” she said. “Ordinary citizens became engaged citizens across coffee shops, community meetings, front porches, local businesses, and neighborhood gatherings.
“One message came across, time and time again. People care deeply about this community. They care about the safety of our children, the well-being of families, the treatment of victims, and the integrity of the institutions that serve them.”
DeKuiper said they found the people they spoke to “want their voices to matter, and they are willing to invest their time and energy to ensure they are heard.
“The leaders that represent this community should have the moral compass to know that justice is not merely about winning cases, but it’s about serving the people of Grand Traverse County, building relationships with law enforcement, schools, and other community organizations to make it a safer and stronger community. That can only be achieved by working together, not by standing alone.
“What this community wants is for the prosecuting attorney’s office to hold people accountable for the crimes they commit and not give them plea deals for significantly significantly lesser charges.” DeKuiper said. “People have to know there is a consequence for breaking the law in Grand Traverse County.
“They will be held accountable.”