For the last 22 months, Michigan’s Bureau of Elections has worked with local clerks and national experts to prepare for a statewide audit of November’s general election.
During my tenure as Michigan's Secretary of State, and even before I was sworn into office, I've spoken repeatedly about the importance of post-election audits. Such audits ensure Michiganders can trust the outcome of our elections as an accurate reflection of the will of the people.
For example, following the March 10 presidential primary earlier this year, my office conducted Michigan’s first statewide risk-limiting audit pilot in partnership with 80 county clerks and hundreds of municipal clerks across Michigan. By state law, an audit can't be performed until the vote is certified.
The effort demonstrated the results of our elections are accurate and provided an extra layer of security as we prepared for November’s election.
A risk-limiting audit is the most statistically reliable method of evaluating the tabulation of ballots in an election. It involves drawing a large random sample of ballots in any given jurisdiction to confirm that, when ballots are visually inspected, the outcomes closely match the results reported by tabulation machines.
The pilot audit we conducted after the certification of Michigan’s March primary included a record-breaking 277 jurisdictions in all, more than had ever participated in such an audit anywhere in the country. It quickly and successfully demonstrated that Michigan’s ballot tabulation machines functioned properly and election results were accurate.
Following the certification of Michigan’s elections, our statewide risk-limiting audit will be paired with comprehensive local audits.
This standard procedure examines and determines explanations for clerical errors identified before and on election day, in addition to any issues identified during canvasses. They typically include reviewing poll books and ballots, which can help determine why numbers were out of balance in the canvass. Their goal is to assist clerks in developing protocols to prevent such errors in future elections.
Since I was sworn into office, our State Bureau of Elections has conducted more than 120 post-election audits in local jurisdictions. Following the state’s certification of November’s election, they will be carried out in Wayne County and other local jurisdictions where the data shows notable clerical errors or unexplained imbalances in precincts. Importantly, the data from Detroit that has caught attention this year shows far fewer errors than were identified in the 2016 general election.
Michigan’s election audits will commence after the general election is certified by the Board of State Canvassers. This is in accordance with Michigan law, which does not allow access to ballots and other materials critical to conducting an audit until after certification occurs.
It’s also important to be clear that post-election audits are designed to identify issues and opportunities for improvement in future elections. They are not conducted or performed in response to false or mythical allegations of “irregularities” that have no basis in fact. Where evidence exists of actual fraud, it should be submitted in writing to the Bureau of Elections, which refers all credible allegations to the Attorney General’s office for further investigation. It's crucial to understand that no evidence of widespread wrongdoing has been presented to date, and judges appointed by both Republicans and Democrats have denied numerous lawsuits on grounds that their allegations lack any merit at all.
Unfortunately, voters continue to be inundated with misinformation claiming the contrary. Through social media posts, subpoenas, frivolous lawsuits and unsubstantiated claims against basic election procedures, our elections are under siege from a massive amount of false information aimed solely at eroding confidence in our elections and damaging the very foundation of our democracy.
But here’s the truth: Michigan’s election was carried out by more than 1,600 public servant clerks and tens of thousands of volunteer election workers. They can and have attested to the fact that our election was conducted fairly, securely and transparently, and that the results are indeed an accurate reflection of the will of the voters. The will of the people in Michigan is clear and unequivocal.
Citizens across the country and here in Michigan can have faith that these facts will carry the day.
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Jocelyn Benson is Michigan’s 43rd Secretary of State and author of State Secretaries of State, Guardians of the Democratic Process.
