§ 168.879Candidate petition for recount; requirements; good-faith belief in winning;

petition by state political party chairperson; report; authority of legislature.
 Sec. 879.
    (1) Subject to subsection (2), a candidate voted for at an election for an office may petition
 the board of state canvassers for a recount of the votes if the candidate believes that, but for
 error, a different candidate would have been elected, and all of the following requirements are
 met:
    (a) The office is an office for which the votes are canvassed by the board of state canvassers
 under section 841 or is the office of Representative in Congress, state representative, or state
 senator for a district located wholly within 1 county.
    (b) The candidate meets the requirements under section 862.
    (c) The petition for a recount is filed not later than 5 p.m. of the second day after the day the
 board of state canvassers certifies the results of the election.
    (d) The petition is filed with the secretary of state.


                                                                     Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 9 of 2026
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    (e) The petition is written or printed and is signed and sworn to by the candidate.
    (f) The candidate uses the petition form required under section 865(1).
    (2) If a state senatorial race is determined by a vote differential of 500 votes or less or a
 state representative race is determined by a vote differential of 200 votes or less, the
 chairperson of a state political party may petition for a recount of the votes on behalf of a
 candidate in that race in the manner prescribed in subsection (1). Notwithstanding subsection
 (1)(e), the petition must be signed by the chairperson of the state political party filing the
 petition.
    (3) On the completion of a recount for a federal or state legislative office, the board of state
 canvassers, in addition to the certification required by section 892, shall forward to the
 appropriate federal or state legislative body a report of the results of the recount.
    (4) This section does not limit the authority of the legislature under section 16 of article IV
 of the state constitution of 1963.