House Oversight Chair Matt Hall, of Marshall, today issued the following statement after calling a joint hearing Saturday for the House and Senate Oversight Committees. The legislative bodies plan to explore the voting and ballot counting process in Michigan to ensure trust going forward:

“There are many questions surrounding how votes for President have been tabulated in Michigan and whether a vote is legal or not legal. This has created a great deal of controversy, confusion and frustration. Legislators have heard concerns from people we represent virtually non-stop since the polls closed Tuesday night and votes started being tabulated.

“We will be looking into the election process to help provide needed clarification. This is about integrity and efficiency going forward. Free, safe and secure elections are a cornerstone of our democracy. It’s a major part of what our country was built on. But more and more people are questioning the system we have in place for this process. We must deliver answers. By doing so, we can help deliver a process that earns the trust of the people. Without that trust, these issues are likely to repeat themselves in the future.

“This has nothing to do with party or a particular candidate and everything to do with safeguarding the integrity of our elections.”