GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — County clerks across West Michigan are working to certify election results from Tuesday's election, but some newly elected officials may be sworn into office before the certification process is complete.
The certification process involves bipartisan boards of county canvassers auditing poll books and ballot counts to ensure accuracy. In Ottawa County, Clerk Justin Roebuck's team has been conducting this work since election night.
He says swearing in a new officer before the election is certified could create an awkward situation, particularly in races decided by a narrow margin.
"I mean, it's not a good look. I think it's important for us to conduct these certification processes, because, not only for the public confidence level, but to actually do that work," Roebuck said.
The audit process becomes especially critical in close races. In Holland, one race was decided by just eight votes.
SEE MORE: Ottawa County election results
The canvassing board essentially audits the election materials to verify results before they become official.
"We want to make sure that the vote count is accurate for the public officials who take office and for the voters who cast their ballots for these officials," Roebuck said.
Roebuck reported that election night went smoothly in Ottawa County. His team has finished their count but must wait for any outstanding absentee ballots before certification can happen.
That's where the conflict comes in. Clerks have to wait a week after election night to allow for any military or overseas absentee ballots. Many cities and townships have charter rules requiring them to swear in new members within that time frame.
Roebuck doesn't expect the unofficial results to change in Ottawa County as they finalize certification through November 12, but the situation highlights a problem experienced across the state.
Communities in both Kent and Ottawa counties have confirmed they plan to swear in new members before certification is complete, following their local laws.
This timing issue has been a concern for election officials. Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons expressed her concerns about the practice.
"It's incredibly concerning. No person should ever take office and conduct official business in that capacity until they have been duly elected, and that does not happen until the election is certified and results are official," Lyons said.
Both Roebuck and Posthumous Lyons have been advocating for a legislative fix to address this issue.
Legislation in Lansing aims to solve this issue. A collection of bills have passed out of both the House and Senate, but those versions are currently sitting in election committees in each chamber.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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