NEW: Wayne County reverses deadlock and certifies election results after initially handing win to GOP. https://t.co/DkjOqFaqwS
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) November 18, 2020
BREAKING: The board of canvassers in Wayne County, Michigan refused to certify the election results, citing irregularities in the absentee ballot counts. The state board will now have to do the canvass and certification.
“I believe that we do not have complete and accurate information on those poll books,” Republican committee chair Monica Palmer told the Detroit Free Press.
The issue involves unexplained discrepancies between the number of absentee ballots recorded as cast and the number of absentee ballots counted.
“Most of this is human error. … It’s not based on fraud,” Democrat vice chair Jonathan Kinloch told the newspaper.
Democrats are infuriated that Republicans stood their ground.
Michigan Democratic Party chair Lavora Barnes called the vote “an outrageous display of partisan posturing.”
“Monica Palmer and William Hartmann have chosen to tarnish their personal legacy by picking up the GOP banner of making allegations without any evidence,” she told the newspaper. “For the Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers to buy into conspiracy theories and completely disregard the will of the voters in Michigan is not only shameful but a complete dereliction of duties.”
GOP MI Senate candidate James: I applaud the Wayne County Board of Canvassers for their bravery in the face of unbelievable pressure to ignore inconvenient truths that threaten our democracy.
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) November 18, 2020
It’s plain and simple, folks. The Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers put politics above their duty to our residents. Suggesting that all of Wayne County can be certified, EXCEPT for Detroit, is horrifying racist and a subversion of our democracy.
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) November 17, 2020
From the Wayne County Board of Canvassers, to the firing of Chris Krebs, to the DOD announcement about drawing down troops–I’m going to say it: I AM ALARMED.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) November 18, 2020
My statement on the actions taken during today’s meeting of the Board of Wayne County Canvassers. pic.twitter.com/Vb2TRpiLdJ
— Jocelyn Benson (@JocelynBenson) November 17, 2020