The
Board of State Canvassers voted earlier this week to allow state election
officials to open the ballot boxes and review the ballots cast in the August
Detroit Mayoral Primary as a means to determine how many should be counted. The
review began Tuesday afternoon and is expected to be completed by Friday.
Approximately
18,000 ballots were questioned by the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, causing
them not to certify the election results following the August 6th
election. City election workers entered the numerical total for each spelling
of a write-in candidate’s name, however, did not also show the individual tally
marks that would add to the total. Although statute does not call for the tally
marks, County election procedures do.
The
Wayne County Board of Canvassers initially considered certifying the election
results without the 18,000 ballots, which would have resulted in a change in
election results, handing the victory to Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon
instead of former Detroit Medical Center CEO Mike Duggan. When the Board
decided not to certify the results, the issue moved to the Board of State
Canvassers under statute.
Many
at the State Board’s meeting called upon the Board to certify the election
results so that recount petitions could be immediately filed. In addition, Detroit-area
labor activist Robert Davis is reportedly prepared to file a lawsuit attempting
to prevent the review of the ballots.