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Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said at a Detroit press conference this evening that voting was safe, secure and smooth on Election Day.

“Across the state, the process went smoothly and voters were in and out of their polling places quickly and comfortably,” said Benson. “This is one of the marks of a successful election, and it is thanks to the diligent preparation of Republican, Democratic and independent clerks who partnered with law enforcement and planned extensively to ensure every eligible citizen could exercise their right to make their voice heard and hold their elected leaders accountable.”

Benson said there were few issues that arose during the day, and all were addressed quickly and without stopping voters from casting their ballot. Only two disruptive challengers were reported to the Department of State – one in Ann Arbor and one in Detroit – and after conversations, both departed polling places without deterring any voters.

Similarly, Benson said that an issue with electronic pollbooks used in the City of Detroit did not stop voters from casting ballots, as the Detroit clerk’s office worked with the Bureau of Elections to quickly identify and resolve the matter.

“Minor issues will always arise in elections but the role of clerks, the Bureau of Elections and our partners in law enforcement is to identify and address them immediately to protect the rights of every Michigan voter,” said Benson. “We did this today, and I know we will continue to do so as absentee ballot counting continues.”

The Department of State has predicted it will take up to 24 hours until all absentee ballots are counted and complete unofficial results are reported. This is because Michigan law allows only some jurisdictions to do limited processing of absentee ballots before Election Day, unlike many other states that allow all jurisdictions to completely process and in some cases count absentee ballots before polls open.

“In the hours ahead, some jurisdictions may finish counting their absentee ballots and report more quickly, and we already are seeing some of that occur,” said Benson. “Across the state, election workers will continue to prioritize accuracy and security above all else, and we will continue to provide updates as the next 24 hours unfold as the tabulation process continues.”