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Clerks say rigged election almost impossible

Posted at 6:47 PM, Oct 17, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-17 18:47:30-04

One of the dominant themes of the last few days of the campaign is Donald Trump's insistence that the presidential race is being stolen from him.

"It looks to me like a rigged election," Trump said at a rally over the weekend.

What started as blaming Hillary Clinton turned to polling stations when trump tweeted they're also rigging the election.

But in Michigan clerks say that couldn't be farther from the truth.

"Michigan elections are fair, Michigan elections are secure," said Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum.

Byrum makes sure polling stations are doing everything by the book.

That starts with strict identification policies for voters.

"Michigan has a voter registration requirement but if a voter doesn't have their ID on them they may sign an affidavit that they are who they say they are, under penalty of perjury, and then be issued and vote a ballot just like anyone else," Byrum explained.

Voting is also done on paper ballots, and once a person fills it out they put it in a ballot reader.

"They are secret so we don't know who voted what way," Byrum said. "There are so many protections in place in Michigan. I am very confident that knowing that our voting is secure and safe."

At the polls Byrum says both a democrat and a republican will help a voter who has a question, because it helps keeps things transparent.

"There should be no intimidation and no reason that they should not exercise their right to vote," she said.

Plus Byrum says every election goes through an audit.

"The board of canvassers audits the election and makes sure they were counted properly, that the computer program was done properly, that the number of ballots issued equals the number of ballots counted," Byrum said. "There are so make protections to make sure election rigging will not happen."

And if someone has a concern Byrum says just let her know.

"If they are a qualified registered voter, they have a right to vote and I will protect that right with any power I have," she added.