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Detroit Free Press: Election glitch throws outcome of Michigan House race into dispute
Detroit Free Press - Election glitch throws outcome of Michigan House race into dispute
Paul Egan
Clara Hendrickson
LANSING — Unofficial election results from Battle Creek initially excluded several thousand votes. The discovery of a programming error and subsequent updates to the vote totals made a competitive state legislative race much closer though Republicans are still on track to flip the Michigan House from Democratic control once election officials certify the results.
The updated unofficial election results posted by the Calhoun County Clerk's office Friday afternoon reduced the gap between Republican Steve Frisbie, who The Associated Press had declared the winner, and state Rep. Jim Haadsma, D-Battle Creek, who had been declared ousted, to just 58 votes and put the outcome in dispute.
Haadsma said Friday he has not conceded the race while Frisbie declared victory. The results were listed as "unofficial" as of Friday evening. A bipartisan county canvassing board will certify the outcome of the race. Haadsma could request a recount.
Angela Benander, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Secretary of State's Office, said Battle Creek used two high-speed absentee ballot tabulators but, due to a programming error, the reported numbers did not combine the results from the two tabulators and instead excluded about half the results.
The updated results added more than 4,500 votes, according to an update to the county's unofficial tally for the presidential election.
/snip
Paul Egan
Clara Hendrickson
LANSING — Unofficial election results from Battle Creek initially excluded several thousand votes. The discovery of a programming error and subsequent updates to the vote totals made a competitive state legislative race much closer though Republicans are still on track to flip the Michigan House from Democratic control once election officials certify the results.
The updated unofficial election results posted by the Calhoun County Clerk's office Friday afternoon reduced the gap between Republican Steve Frisbie, who The Associated Press had declared the winner, and state Rep. Jim Haadsma, D-Battle Creek, who had been declared ousted, to just 58 votes and put the outcome in dispute.
Haadsma said Friday he has not conceded the race while Frisbie declared victory. The results were listed as "unofficial" as of Friday evening. A bipartisan county canvassing board will certify the outcome of the race. Haadsma could request a recount.
Angela Benander, a spokeswoman for the Michigan Secretary of State's Office, said Battle Creek used two high-speed absentee ballot tabulators but, due to a programming error, the reported numbers did not combine the results from the two tabulators and instead excluded about half the results.
The updated results added more than 4,500 votes, according to an update to the county's unofficial tally for the presidential election.
/snip