Michigan’s Wayne County certifies election results after initially deadlocking

The Wayne County Board of Canvassers announced a unanimous vote to certify its election results after initially deadlocking along party lines.

As part of its motion to certify, the board is asking Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to conduct an audit of the unexplained discrepancies in precincts where the number of votes recorded in the polling place book didn’t match the number of tabulated votes.

Wayne County is Michigan’s most populated county and home to Detroit, which is about 80% Black.

The second vote took place after nearly three hours of public comment, during which Detroiters and other Wayne County residents ripped into Republicans on the canvassing board, accusing them of trying to suppress Black votes. 

At one point the Republican canvassing board chair suggested she would have certified results if Detroit were excluded, even though there were also issues in many suburban communities, including Livonia, a major suburb that’s 90% White.

The Board of State Canvassers still has to certify Michigan’s results. That board is also made up of two Democrats and two Republicans and requires at least three votes to certify results.

This is a developing story and will be updated.