Detroit’s mayor accused Republican members of the Wayne County election board of racist behavior on Wednesday after GOP members of the commission voted to delay certification of the county’s election results before quickly reversing their decision after widespread outrage from voters.
The New York Times reported that Mayor Mike Duggan (D) accused the GOP members of attempting to delay the certification of the county’s results in an attempt to suppress Black voters in Detroit.
“You could see the racism in the behavior last night,” the mayor said at a press conference, according to the Times. “American democracy cracked last night, but it didn’t break. But we are seeing a real threat to everything we believe in.”
The Rev. Wendell Anthony, head of Detroit’s chapter of the NAACP, told the Times that the GOP members’ actions amounted to an attempt to “steal the election right before our eyes.”
Two members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers are Republicans, and two are Democrats. During one point in Tuesday evening’s proceedings, board Chairwoman Monica Palmer (R) reportedly moved to certify all parts of the county outside the city of Detroit, a motion that failed. The two GOP members later moved to certify the results after backlash from voters taking part in the virtual proceedings.
All of Michigan’s counties have now certified their election results, according to the Michigan Department of State, and officials will soon certify its election results at the state level.
President Trump has refused to concede the election to President-elect Joe Biden despite not yet seeing any success in his legal efforts to overturn results in Pennsylvania and other key battleground states.
Georgia, which initially was called for Biden after the first tally of votes, is currently undergoing a statewide hand recount of ballots, which is expected to conclude by Thursday.