While this year’s general election has come and gone for most of the country, local canvassers are still hard at work. Preliminary results were widely available the evening of Nov. 5, but the vote has not yet been officially certified.
After preliminary election results rolled in, Kalamazoo County’s Board of Canvassers began verifying votes.
“When the dust settles, if you will, the process picks right back up,” explained Kalamazoo County Clerk and Register of Deeds Meredith Place.
“Here in Kalamazoo County, our Board of Canvassers begin on Thursday, right after the election, at 9 a.m.”
This bipartisan team reviews the more than 140,000 ballots cast across 105 precincts in the county, ensuring accuracy and completeness. The team is made up of two Democrats and two Republicans.
They scrutinize every signature, number and material, paying close attention to precinct balances.
Canvassers request re-tabulations if needed and investigate discrepancies.
“Initially, when they received the materials from the Oshtemo Township Clerk, those absentee precincts were not in balance,” Place explained.