ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – The first of the winners of the Delta County Commission recall election were scheduled to take their oaths of office on Wednesday. However, the County Board of Canvassers failed to certify the election results.
On May 7, challengers Kelli Van Ginhoven, Myra Croasdell, and Matt Jensen defeated sitting commissioners David Moyle, Bob Barron, and Robert Petersen in their respective districts. According to the uncertified results posted to ElectionReporting.com, Moyle received 353 votes to Van Ginhoven’s 932, Barron received 514 to Croasdell’s 1,410, and Petersen received 358 votes while Jensen received 947.
Delta County Clerk Nancy Przewrocki says two Republican canvassers, Bonnie Hakkola and LeeAnne Oman, voted not to certify the results based on the ratio of the votes.
“That’s not one of the items that they are supposed to look at,” said Przewrocki.
Until the election is certified, the existing Board of Commissioners remains in place. The Board of Canvassers will meet for a final vote on Monday, May 20.
“We did talk with the Bureau of Elections yesterday at the meeting and they told them what their duties were, what their responsibilities were and what were not their responsibility to do,” Przewrocki said. “So they’re going to come back and, hopefully, we can move forward.”
If the local Board of Canvassers does not certify the results, it will go to the State Board of Canvassers at a cost to the county.
“We have to pay for the State Board of Canvassers,” explained Przewrocki. “I will need to go down there with all of my equipment and paperwork, and the local clerks will be required to go down there with their ballots.”
A group of Delta County residents published a release on May 13, calling for a “hand recount and a forensic audit of the results.” They say a “statistical analysis” shows identical voting ratios for two of the three districts in the election.
“The ratios of 2.64 are inconsistent with statistical probability and warrant further investigation,” they wrote. “…This will allow experts to thoroughly examine the voting process used in local elections. Transparency and accountability are essential for maintaining public trust in our electoral system.”
A recount has not been ordered at this time, as Przewrocki says a candidate would have to request one. She says she would welcome a recount.
“I would enjoy a hand count just to prove the accuracy of the equipment,” said Przewrocki. “We’ve done audits where we’ve hand counted the ballots, and they’ve proven the accuracy of our machines, so I would be happy to do a hand recount. At this point, the candidates were not interested, but it’s their call.”
Przewrocki says “a group questioning” the equipment has submitted a FOIA request for the relevant information. She says they will receive the information, but that there is a 30-day wait for any recounts to be done before that information can be released.
WMZQ 19 reached out to the citizens calling for a hand recount for further comment, but a spokesperson declined. We also reached out to one of the canvassers who voted against certification, but she did not return our call.
Click here for WZMQ 19’s original report on this story. To hear what candidates had to say about the election, click here.
