More than one-third of all precincts in Detroit registered more votes than they should have, The Detroit News reported on Dec. 12, citing records obtained from Michigan’s Wayne County.
The office of Wayne County Clerk, Cathy Garrett, said that scanners in 248 of the city’s 662 precincts—or approximately 37 percent—showed more votes than the number of voters who actually cast their ballots that were recorded by poll workers. As a result, Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson called for an audit, the report said.
These precincts could not be counted during last week’s recount—which was shut down last week by a federal judge after a few days. Green Party candidate Jill Stein pushed for a recount in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Wisconsin’s recount ended this week, showing virtually no change in the vote tally.
The Rutland Herald, meanwhile, reported that the audit was triggered by a Detroit precinct which recorded that 300 people voted, but only about 50 ballots were found in a sealed container.
Democrat Hillary Clinton overwhelmingly won in Detroit and in Wayne County, which historically has voted for Democrats. The Associated Press reported that Clinton won 95 percent of Detroit’s vote
Republican President-elect Donald Trump took Michigan by 10,704 votes over Clinton.
“There’s always going to be small problems to some degree, but we didn’t expect the degree of problem we saw in Detroit. This isn’t normal,” said Krista Haroutunian, head of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers.
The Detroit ballots will now go to the state capital, Lansing, for further inspection.
State spokesman Fred Woodhams said it’s not uncommon for small inconsistencies in voters and ballots—but Woodhams said large inconsistencies are “especially concerning,” the Rutland Herald reported.
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