Ingham was the first county to start recounting presidential ballots on Monday, finishing the day with about a fourth of precincts counted.
County Clerk Barb Byrum is aiming to finish recounting the more than 130,000 ballots within 6 days.
Her staff started counting Monday at noon at the Ingham County Fairgrounds.
"Logistically it has been quite an undertaking," Byrum said.
She had less than 24 hours to train workers, showing demonstration videos up until the last minute.
"I think we're as prepared as we could be," Byrum said.
She has 30 teams of two counters, one democrat one republican. Each team is given a precinct then they start with a checklist to make sure those ballots can be recounted
"If the seal on the ballot container does not match the seal recorded in the poll book that may deem the precinct un-recountable," Byrum explained.
If everything checks out, the counting can start. First workers have to make sure they have the right number of ballots. Then they put the ballots in piles based on who got the vote, and lastly count each of the votes.
Challengers and observers are set up off to the side, watching each table.
Vevay Township Clerk JoAnne Kean recounted hundreds of ballots on Monday.
"I'm here to do the job, do it right and I'm glad to be part of this team," she said.
She came prepared with a seat cushion and floor mat to make the long hours a little more comfortable. But she says at the end of the day her focus is making sure every vote is counted.
"Your vote counts, my vote counts and that's what we're here to do, make sure everything was done exactly the way Michigan law allows it to be handled," Kean added.
Counters worked until 8 p.m. on Monday night. While they're gone all the ballots will stored in suitcases and deputies from the Ingham County Sheriff's office will be guarding them until the recount starts back up Tuesday morning at 9 a.m.
Byrum estimates the recount will cost taxpayers around $34,000 dollars, on top of what state law requires Jill Stein's campaign to pay for.
