2024 post-election recount and audit report confirms Michigan’s elections are secure and accurate

Bureau of Elections report releases methods and results of nearly 500 audits across the state

LANSING, Mich. - Today, the Michigan Bureau of Elections (BOE) released its report on the recounts, ballot audits, and post-election procedural audits conducted after the 2024 General Election. The report affirms Michigan's election integrity and accuracy in the state's third consecutive election with record-breaking voter turnout.

READ: 2024 November General Election: Recounts, ballot audits, and post-election procedural audits

"Careful, detailed, and thorough post-election audits are critical to election security and accuracy," Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said. "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."

BOE, along with county clerks and their staff, conducted three types of statewide reviews:

• A state-led recount of the Michigan House 44th District State Representative race. The recount was conducted under Michigan Election Law that allows candidates to file a recount petition in their race.
• A statistical statewide ballot audit of the 2024 General Election in 166 randomly selected city and township precincts. The passage of Proposal 2018-3 amended the Michigan Constitution, requiring BOE to conduct these audits after every statewide general election.
• Post-election procedural audits at the precinct level, including a hand count of the presidential race in each of 378 randomly selected precincts. The passage of Proposal 2018-3 amended the Michigan Constitution, requiring BOE to conduct these audits after every statewide general election.

Recount results
The original winner of the 44th State Representative District was confirmed by the recount. The vote differential went from 61 votes to 79 votes (a typical change found during a recount).

Statewide ballot audit results
Michigan's statewide ballot audit is a statistical risk-limiting audit, reviewing a sufficient number of ballots to discover any tabulation error that would have changed the outcome of the election. The risk limit for the audit was set at 10%, which is the industry standard. Computer software randomly selected 166 precincts with a total of 119,567 ballots to be hand counted in the audit.

The audit found a total difference of 33 votes between the machine and hand counts - just .03% of audited ballots. Slight discrepancies between machine counts and hand counts are normal and typically have an average difference of 1 vote per precinct.

Both major party presidential candidates gained votes during the hand count. Kamala Harris (D) gained 11 votes (+.022%) and Donald Trump (R) gained 10 votes (+.014%).

Precinct procedural audit results
Procedural audits in 378 randomly selected precincts checked over 70 key points in the election process. The audits help ensure that election officials and election inspectors followed the required procedures before, during, and after Election Day. Procedural audits covered each voting method including early in-person voting, voting by mail, and Election Day voting.

Overall, the procedural audits met the standard of good general compliance with election requirements and verified the reported election outcomes were correct. BOE will strengthen future election trainings to help clerks, election workers, and election inspectors avoid common minor errors and compliance issues found in the audit.

All audit results found Michigan's election system was effective, secure, and accurately tabulated the results of the 2024 General Election. The audits also show that clerks performed their duties well and voting machines accurately counted over 5.7 million ballots cast by Michiganders.

For more information on Michigan's election administration, processes, and security, visit Michigan.gov/SOS/Elections.

Read the full report: 2024 November General Election: Recounts, ballot audits, and post-election procedural audits

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