GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The results for Tuesday’s election are in, but they are not official until certified. Thursday morning the Kent County Board of Canvassers convened and started the process.
“I like to call to order the Kent County Board of Canvassers.”
After the chairperson called the meeting to order, the Board of Canvassers got to work reviewing the results from 250 county precincts, absentee counting boards and early voting sites.
“Paper is the key to election accuracy,” said Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons.
The process is bipartisan, with two Democrats and two Republicans joining election officials to go over the election.
Posthumus Lyons said, “We're wanting to make sure all of these things balance; that assures that our results are accurate and what we've reported out is the accurate results.”
After voting is concluded, election material is printed in triplicate, sealed in envelopes and sent to the chief probate judge and the county clerk, and one is kept with the local clerk.
“This is to make sure that there's kind of separation and checks and balances so there can't be somebody who may tamper with this,” said Posthumus Lyons.
State law says every county has two weeks to certify their elections.
“It is a very robust... it's a tedious process, but it is so important to our elections,” said Posthumus Lyons.
Watching the certification from the public area were members of the League of Women Voters.
Courtney Winell, president of League of Women Voters of the Greater Grand Rapids Area, said, “Make sure we have that nonpartisan set of eyes on the process, and the league is doing this in all 83 counties throughout the state for the next 14 days.”
“Transparency is another big part of our elections process. This is how we can help ensure the public has confidence in the elections and the outcome,” said Posthumus Lyons.
If you want to watch the process yourself, it’s open for anyone to observe. The canvassers will convene every day for the next two weeks at the Kent County Courthouse on the fifth floor.
In Michigan, the local certification deadline is Nov. 19 with the state certification deadline scheduled for Nov. 25.
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