LANSING, Mich. (WOOD) — The Michigan Board of State Canvassers on Monday approved procedures for planned recounts for Proposal 2 and Proposal 3, but not without some tension.

Only a fraction of the state’s precincts are involved in the recounts. Forty-seven precincts will be recounted for Proposal 2 (election reforms) and more than 900 precincts for Proposal 3 (abortion rights). The board noted that given those parameters, even if all the yes votes in all the recounted precincts turned out to be no votes, both proposals would still pass.

During discussion, members of the board questioned the purpose of the recount, but an attorney for the elector who asked for it said the law does not require him to prove that he believes a recount will lead to a change in the outcome of the election.

“I came to this meeting … with the intention of discussing this despite my deep reservation — not reservation, my knowledge, that this is unnecessary and frivolous and ridiculous…” Board of State Canvassers Chair Tony Daunt, a Republican, said.

“Do you need to recuse yourself for bias?” the attorney demanded. “You’ve already made a determination without a single ballot being recounted that you are biased. You’ve just called this frivolous and a waste of time. … Do you not take your oath of office serious?”

“(The recount is) not going to change any of the outcome of the election, so when Mr. Daunt is asking you if this is a way to walk into the counties and start a circus, he’s asking you a question that I think I’ve got a question now, about, too,” Richard Houskamp, the other Republican on the board, said.

The goal of the meeting was to determine the procedures of such a recount and discuss who can serve as challengers. With the board approving those procedures, the recount was allowed to move forward.

The Board of State Canvassers is made up of four members: two Republicans and two Democrats.