Sturgis-Coldwater News

While residents from around Michigan and onlookers from around the world continue to speculate about potential voting irregularities in the state, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has issued a statement about the election on Michigan.gov.

In the statement, Benson announces plans for a complete audit. She says that her office has been preparing for months for the possibility of an audit, which has allowed them to be prepared for the outcome of the November general election.

Though the audit will proceed, Benson has stressed that it is a planned audit and has nothing to do with charges of widespread voter fraud.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson | Wikimedia Commons

"Importantly, while the Risk Limiting Audit is a proactive, voluntary and planned action our office is taking to confirm the integrity of our elections and identify areas for future improvement, local procedural audits consider clerical errors identified before and on Election Day, in addition to issues identified during canvasses. This a typical, standard procedure following election certification, and one that will be carried out in Wayne County and any other local jurisdictions where the data shows notable clerical errors following state certification of the November election," Benson said, according to Michigan.gov.

With regards to these allegations, she added, "Notably, audits are neither designed to address nor performed in response to false or mythical allegations of 'irregularities' that have no basis in fact. Where evidence exists of actual fraud or wrongdoing, it should be submitted in writing to the Bureau of Elections, which refers all credible allegations to the attorney general’s office for further investigation."