§ 168.836Ordering special election in precinct affected by defect or mechanical

malfunction; conditions; effect of votes in excess of electors.
 Sec. 836.
    (1) The board of canvassers shall order a special election for the office of the petitioning
 candidate or the ballot question only in each precinct affected by a defect or mechanical
 malfunction as described in section 831 if all of the following are true:
    (a) An elector could not cast a valid vote in the precinct for the petitioning candidate or for
 or against the ballot question because of the defect or mechanical malfunction.
    (b) Based on the available canvass, the number of electors who could not cast valid votes
 for the office or for or against the ballot question in an election because of the defect or
 mechanical malfunction is greater than the number of votes separating the candidates getting
 the most and the second most number of votes or is greater than the number of votes
 separating total "yes" votes and the total "no" votes.
    (2) If the number of votes for an office or for or against a ballot question recorded on a
 voting machine exceeds the number of electors that voted on the machine, then for the
 purposes of subsection (1), the difference shall be regarded as the number of electors who,



                                                                      Michigan Compiled Laws Complete Through PA 9 of 2026
Rendered Thursday, April 30, 2026               Page 416 of 478                               Courtesy of legislature.mi.gov

 because of a defect or mechanical malfunction as described in section 831, could not cast valid
 votes for the office or for or against the ballot question.