February 29, 2025: Grand Traverse County Clerk Completes Successful Audit

Grand Traverse County Clerk Completes Successful Audit  of November 5, 2024 Election.

 From January 29 – February 13, 2025, the Grand Traverse County Clerk, in conjunction with local clerks and staff, conducted an extensive audit of the November 5, 2024, Federal Election in selected jurisdictions in Grand Traverse County. The audit included a thorough examination and analysis of the documents, procedures and equipment utilized to ensure an accurate and fully accountable election in Grand Traverse County. This comprehensive analysis covered not only the new Early Voting, Election Day and Absentee Voting of the randomly selected precincts, but the pre-election equipment testing and post-election security procedures implemented by the local clerks.

Most critically, this audit included a full hand count of the vote totals in the presidential race in the randomly selected precincts in Blair Township, Long Lake Charter Township, East Bay Charter Township and Union Township. With the help and support of the Grand Traverse County Equalization Department, auditors were equipped with enlarged matrixes to facilitate a smooth, transparent and easy to follow public audit. The hand tally count fully matched the machine calculated totals that were reported in the official election canvass. Once again election results in this county were validated as accurate by both a machine and hand count.

Grand Traverse County Clerk, Bonnie Scheele, is proud that this audit process affirmed the tremendous professionalism and care taken with the challenges of implementing Early Voting in Michigan, and the excellent cooperation and support from the county and its townships. The attention to detail and adherence to security processes beyond the standard practices that were on display in these jurisdictions should provide Grand Traverse County citizens confidence in the accuracy and security of their vote. 

Bonnie Scheele, Grand Traverse County Clerk