SB603 revises Michigan’s election-recount process by increasing per-precinct recount fees and setting a 48-hour deadline for filing recount petitions after vote certification. It allows recounts to be requested only for vote-count errors and expands automatic recounts based on vote margins, not suspicion of fraud. Additionally, it adjusts recount fees every four years for inflation and introduces penalties for anyone interfering with recount fairness.
The Michigan State Senate passed SB603 on June 18, 2024 by a vote of 20 to 18. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation undermines election integrity by limiting recounts to only error-based requests, thus excluding fraud concerns. Free, fair, and transparent elections are essential, and by narrowing recount options, this bill weakens public oversight and trust in Michigan’s election processes.