After Michigan’s contentious, short-circuited presidential recount in 2016, lawmakers are pushing for changes that would make it impossible – or very expensive – for certain candidates to request a recount of election results.
A bill passed by the state House Elections Committee on Thursday would double the per-precinct cost levied on the candidate seeking a recount if the petitioner lost by 5 percent or 75 votes, whichever is greater. The measure originated in the Senate, where it passed last spring by a 27-11 margin.
The House committee also approved a second bill that would clarify that so-called “aggrieved” candidates seeking a recount must be able to make the argument that, if not for fraud or mistakes, they would have had a reasonable chance of winning the election.
The legislation was sparked by Green Party candidate Jill Stein’s demand for a statewide recount last year though she lost the presidential election by more than 2 million votes. Republican Donald Trump won Michigan last November by 10,704 votes over Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Under current state law, Stein paid $973,250 for the massive recount, which was performed by hand. But Secretary of State Ruth Johnson estimated the actual cost for local clerks would be at least $5 million.
The Court of Appeals stepped in and stopped the counting, ruling that Stein was not an aggrieved candidate with hopes of winning the election after completion of a second count. Stein said she was testing the integrity of the Michigan election process.
“The ridiculous 2016 recount charade for which Michigan taxpayers were forced to foot the bill shows just how important it is to update our statutes before it happens again,” said the bill sponsor, Rep. Aaron Miller (R-Sturgis), said in a statement. “These bills protect tax dollars while still preserving the integrity of the recount process for instances in which it is truly necessary.”
As for the fees, the new price would be $250 per precinct, twice the current $125-per-precinct cost. In close elections, where a candidate lost by fewer than 50 votes or 0.5 percentage points, the charge would remain at $25 per precinct.
