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Kent County precinct audit confirms alleged tampering incident did not affect outcome of primary vote

An audit confirms an incident of alleged tampering in a Kent County precinct in the August primary didn't affect the outcome.

Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumous Lyons ordered the audit after an election day worker allegedly tampered with a computer in Precinct 8 of Gaines Charter Township.

The computer contained a poll book with personal information about voters, but Postumous Lyons says it wasn't connected to the internet or to the ballot tabulators.

She says she called the audit to reassure voters.

During the audit, a hand count of ballots found a discrepancy of only five votes that were not tallied, a tiny fraction of the total and not enough to change the results.

The man accused of the tampering, who registered with the county as a Republican, has been charged with two felonies.

Tracy Samilton covers energy and transportation, including the auto industry and the business response to climate change for Michigan Public. She began her career at Michigan Radio as an intern, where she was promptly “bitten by the radio bug,” and never recovered.