Capitol News

The Michigan Bureau of Elections has released a report detailing the results of recounts, ballot audits, and procedural audits conducted after the 2024 General Election. The findings confirm the accuracy and security of Michigan’s election system during a year that saw record voter turnout.

According to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, “Careful, detailed, and thorough post-election audits are critical to election security and accuracy. Hundreds of bipartisan state, county, and local election officials worked tirelessly to review the processes, procedures and results of Michigan’s historic 2024 election. I’m especially grateful for the professionalism of these election administrators, whose thorough preparation and attention to detail continue to ensure our elections are secure and the results are an accurate reflection of the will of the voters.”

The Bureau conducted three main types of reviews statewide: a recount in the 44th District State Representative race, a statistical audit involving hand counts in 166 randomly selected precincts, and procedural audits at 378 precincts. The recount in the 44th District confirmed the original winner with only a minor change in vote differential.

In the statistical risk-limiting audit—a process required by amendments to the Michigan Constitution—166 precincts were randomly chosen using computer software. A total of 119,567 ballots were hand counted. The audit revealed a difference of just 33 votes between machine tabulation and hand counts, representing only .03% variance. Slight discrepancies like this are considered normal.

Both major party presidential candidates gained additional votes during the hand count: Kamala Harris (D) gained 11 votes (+.022%) while Donald Trump (R) gained 10 votes (+.014%). Other candidates experienced small changes as well.

Procedural audits reviewed over 70 aspects of election administration across various voting methods including early voting, mail-in ballots, and Election Day polling sites. These checks found general compliance with legal requirements and verified that reported outcomes matched actual results. The Bureau noted it would use findings from these audits to improve future training for clerks and poll workers.

Overall, all audit results indicated that Michigan’s election system was effective in accurately counting more than 5.7 million ballots cast statewide.

For further details about Michigan’s election processes or to read the full report on post-election reviews, visit Michigan.gov/SOS/Elections.