Recount underway for Meridian Township marijuana ballot proposal

MASON — The recount is underway for the Meridian Township recreational marijuana opt-out ballot proposal.

More than 44 people, ranging from local residents to Ingham County and Meridian Township clerk’s office employees, were working Thursday at the Ingham County Fairgrounds community room to recount the votes that allowed recreational marijuana establishments in the township.

The proposal that allows the establishment of marijuana businesses in the township passed by a narrow margin, 12 votes. The official election summary results for the proposal were 6,146 yes votes to prohibit marijuana businesses and 6,158 no votes to defeat the proposal and allow recreational marijuana establishments in the township.

The recount was requested by Carla Galligan, a Meridian Township voter, and filed Aug. 15. Galligan alleged a mistake or fraud at the polling place and paid $25 per precinct for 44 precincts, a total of $1,100, Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum said Thursday morning.

Ingham County Chief Deputy County Clerk Scott Hendrickson opens a sealed crate of precinct ballots Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022, during a proposal recount for the Meridian Township Recreational Marijuana Opt-Out ballot proposal.

Byrum expected the recount to cost Meridian Township taxpayers about $13,000 between paying the recount workers and feeding them.

The recount is a hand count done by people, which is the same process for the presidential recount a few years ago. Byrum did not expect the results of the vote to change with the recount, she said.

Because the recount involves human workers reading the votes, they have to make sure they read them like the tabulator would, she said.

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