Editorial: Clerk Hurst assures that all Sumpter votes are counted

In a statement issued Jan. 14, Sumpter Township Clerk Esther Hurst assured voters that all votes in the township are counted.
In full, the statement said: “To address recent public opinion, I want to assure the registered voters of Sumpter Township that your votes, regardless of how cast, are very important to us, Wayne County, and the State of Michigan. The process is one of check and balance that is routinely audited to assure accuracy for EVERY election. Specific to the Absent Voters, this is a very integral process. There is a layered procedure of accounting for absentee ballots prior to leaving the Clerk’s Office for handling. The # of ballots received has to match the # of ballots tabulated. Therefore, being off by even 1 ballot will cause the Absentee Counting Board to remain sequestered until the issue has been resolved. Once again, this being a highly visible and audited function of our election process. Any opinion or allegation to the contrary is misleading, unfounded and, simply not true. Please know … EVERY ballot is counted.”
A recent letter to the editor published in the Independent alleged that some absentee ballots in Sumpter were thrown away in a recent election. Clerks are responsible for elections and Clerk Hurst asserts her elections are clean. Voters will be scrutinizing the 2020 elections everywhere – and, especially in Sumpter.