LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan election officials on Monday certified Democrat Joe Biden’s 154,000-vote victory in the state amid President Donald Trump’s brazen attempts to subvert the results of the election.
The Board of State Canvassers, which has two Republicans and two Democrats, confirmed the results on a 3-0 vote with one abstention. Allies of Trump and losing GOP Senate candidate John James had urged the panel to delay voting for two weeks to audit votes in heavily Democratic Wayne County, home to Detroit.
There has been a whirlwind of unproven allegations of fraud and a string of lawsuits since the election three weeks ago.
GOP canvassers in Wayne County, Michigan, originally voted to block the certification of the vote tally, but later changed their vote. The motion to hold another vote came following hours of public comments condemning Republican canvassers' decisions to vote against the certification.
Trump met with two top GOP lawmakers in Michigan on Friday. Although the results of the 2020 election results were discussed, the lawmakers released a statement that they have not seen any credible evidence of election fraud.
"We have not yet been made aware of any information that would change the outcome of the election in Michigan and as legislative leaders, we will follow the law and follow the normal process regarding Michigan’s electors, just as we have said throughout this election," said Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey and Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said that "democracy has prevailed" following the board's certification of the 2020 results.
"Today’s vote of the State Board of Canvassers’ to certify Michigan’s November election confirms the truth: the election was fair and secure, and the results accurately reflect the will of the voter, Benson, a Democrat, tweeted.
"Our democracy, like those who administer it, is resilient. Today it survived an unprecedented attack on its integrity. There will no doubt be more in the future, based on falsehoods and misinformation. But then, as now, we will respond with facts, data, and the truth," Benson added.
