Our conversation with Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum
For county clerks all over Michigan, the presidential vote recount has them scrambling to hand-count some 4.8 million ballots in less than two weeks.
Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum took a few minutes away from the scramble to discuss the process on Stateside.
Byrum said for some, this recount is as exciting as the Super Bowl. But for others it’s logistically very difficult.
“Some people enjoy this,” she said. “But right now, I have been busy trying to secure a location for the recount, employees for the recount. My staff is not big at all and I need at least 50 people for each day, so I’m looking to hire probably 75 to 100 individuals. I needed to locate tables, a computer, a screen, a projector – many things.”
Yet Byrum has already succeeded in organizing part of the process. In fact, one of the most important pieces of the puzzle is already in place.
“As of 2 o’clock this afternoon, all ballots that were voted in the November general election are in my possession,” she said. “So that is a step in the right direction.”
The Donald Trump campaign officially objected to the recount this afternoon. That means the State Bureau of Elections has stopped the recount process for now.
“We are currently on hold, but ready to go,” Byrum said.
For the full conversation, listen above.
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