The bill amends the Michigan election law by introducing mandatory election audits conducted by the Secretary of State after each election, replacing the previous discretionary language. Specifically, the Secretary of State is required to audit election precincts and establish procedures for these audits, which will include reviewing documents, ballots, and election procedures. County clerks, or their designees, are also mandated to conduct these audits and report the results to the Secretary of State within 20 days. The bill specifies that the audits must include a hand tally of results for selected precincts, particularly for presidential elections, and outlines the process for addressing discrepancies between audit results and unofficial election returns.

Additionally, the bill modifies the responsibilities of the board of county canvassers, stating that they cannot conclude the canvass of election results until the required tabulation audit is complete. It emphasizes that the canvass must incorporate any corrected returns based on the audit results. The bill also includes provisions to ensure that county clerks who have affiliations with political parties do not participate in the audits, thereby promoting impartiality in the election process. Overall, these changes aim to enhance the integrity and transparency of Michigan's electoral system.

Statutes affected:
Senate Introduced Bill: 168.31, 168.822