Absentee ballots were temporarily missing on Tuesday; conclusion should not alter election results.
By Timothy Rath

The Oakland County Clerk's office completed an audit of Aug. 7 primary votes in West Bloomfield Thursday after some absentee ballots were noted as missing on Tuesday.

Election results were delayed to early Wednesday morning after Township Clerk Cathy Shaughnessy notified local and county police, as well as the county clerk's office, when a "stack" of 44 absentee ballots representing precinct 22 voters were noted as misplaced by absentee ballot workers.

The ballots were found later that same night, Shaughnessy explained early Wednesday morning. County Elections Director Joe Rozell said that the audit found no evidence of impropriety on the part of the township.

"The law requires us to count them all in one day ... and we got a boatload in today. I'm sure (absentee ballot workers) were overwhelmed," she said. "The theft of our memory cards has been a concern all along, but the integrity of this election remained secure."

Shaughnessy refers to a July incident in which computer cards used to help count votes were reported stolen from the clerk's office. A West Bloomfield Police Department investigation remains ongoing; Police Chief Michael Patton noted no signs of forced entry to the area.

Rozell pointed out that while results remain unofficial until another review is completed later this month, none of the races on precinct ballots were decided by 44 votes or less.

Residents there voted in races including the State House 39th District, the U.S. Congressional 14th District, and the county Board of Commissioners 7th district.

Shaughnessy estimated that of 8,600 absentee ballots delivered, 7,600 were returned.