Audit of Election Equipment and Conduct of City of Traverse City’s November 2023 Election
Audit selected randomly by Department of State
On December 22, 2023 an extensive audit of the Traverse City City Commission election of November 7, 2023, was conducted as randomly selected by the Department of State. The audit included analysis and examination of documents and procedures used by the City Clerk’s team leading up to the election and the procedures and documentation from a randomly-selected voting precinct, which was City of Traverse City Precinct 9, as well as the Absent Voter Counting Board for Precinct 9.
Importantly, the independent audit, carried out in compliance with Department of State regulations, additionally encompassed a hand count of the vote totals in a randomly-chosen contest, verifying a 100% alignment with the reported results.
One of City Clerk Benjamin Marentette’s areas of responsibility is planning, managing and overseeing all aspects of federal, state and local elections within the City of Traverse City. Marentette noted, “Our team's primary focus centers on reinforcing voter confidence in Michigan's entire electoral framework. The significance of conducting random audits, like the one undertaken, cannot be overstated in ensuring the integrity of every vote. The implementation of post-election audits stands as yet another essential step in fortifying our electoral processes. I'm genuinely pleased that the audit carried out in Traverse City reflects the commitment and professionalism of our election team.”
Marentette added, "We are thrilled with the results of the post-election audit conducted in the City of Traverse City, affirming a flawless 100% accuracy in the randomly selected Precinct 9. On Election Day, nearly 60 dedicated individuals facilitated democracy across all precincts. The leadership demonstrated by the Precinct Chairperson in Precinct 9 and the Chairperson overseeing the Absentee Voting Counting Board was exceptional. We extend our sincere appreciation to these community members whose reverence for our democratic process is commendable. Additionally, I take immense pride in the unwavering efforts of both the permanent and interim teams in the City Clerk's Office in the lead-up to Election Day.”
Grand Traverse County Clerk Bonnie Scheele was pleased with the audit, saying, “Once again a flawless election audit verified the results of November's election reflected the will of the voters and good work of Traverse City election administrators and workers. The community should be proud of the tireless efforts that so many do to safeguard the integrity of elections in this community.”