Thomas Stallworth, a Democrat, received 2,262,011 votes, or 22.6% of the vote.

Maday led Bahar-Cook in the race for days after the election, until the Secretary of State corrected a clerical error that undercounted votes for Bahar-Cook.

Maday admitted defeat in a campaign email Wednesday, congratulating Balow and Bahar-Cook but calling Michigan’s electoral process "clearly broken and inefficient."

"To be clear, I am not implying there is anything mischievous," Maday wrote. "However, we expect the ability to rely on data published by the (Secretary of State) to be accurate."

Michigan Director of Elections Jonathan Brater acknowledged that there were some human errors in the counting of unofficial election results, but defended the integrity of the state’s elections.

"It’s important to understand that when there are errors in the reporting of unofficial results, it doesn’t mean that the ballots were counted incorrectly," Brater said at a Michigan Board of Canvassers meeting Friday morning where the results were certified. "Those errors are caught and corrected either before or during the canvass, and that is why we have a county canvass before the results are made official."

The trustees-elect will replace Trustee Dianne Byrum and board Chair Dan Kelly, whose terms end Jan. 1, 2025.

Balow, who officially won his spot on the board on Nov. 7, told The State News earlier this month that he was humbled by the voter support. 

"I promise I won’t let them down," Balow said. 

Bahar-Cook said she’s looking forward to connecting with the MSU community.

"I’m very thankful, and I’m very humbled," Bahar-Cook said Friday. "I really pledge to do my best for the university."

Stallworth did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

Balow, a veteran and parent of an MSU alum, wants to ensure transparency and promote dialogue at the university. MSU’s self-described “ninth trustee,” Balow is a constant presence at board meetings and has been a longtime advocate for bringing back MSU’s dissolved swim and dive team. He narrowly lost the race in 2022.

Balow intends to have university staff reach out to everyone who signs up for public comment at board meetings to see whether MSU leaders can personally address their issues. He thinks trustees should be less secretive and hold meetings more often.

Balow will replace Kelly as the board’s lone Republican.

Bahar-Cook, CEO of a Lansing consulting firm, says she wants to bring the board together, increase student enrollment and lower tuition rates.

The former Ingham County commissioner and MSU alum says she’ll use her political experience to encourage collaboration.

Bahar-Cook supports the unionization efforts on campus, and said she would voluntarily recognize the unions.

The election comes at a tense time in board history. 

Faced with relentless protests by students demanding divestment from Israel, scrutiny over its role in the Mel Tucker scandal, the lasting effects of disgraced ex-MSU doctor Larry Nassar’s abuse, and internal dysfunction, trustees have often been embroiled in controversy.

In March, the board voted to ask the governor to consider removing two of its own members for violating university policies. 

The decision came after an outside investigation found that Trustees Rema Vassar and Dennis Denno interfered in university investigations and lawsuits, accepted gifts from donors and encouraged students to embarrass and attack their colleagues, among other things.

Both Balow and Bahar-Cook said that Vassar and Denno’s actions weren’t egregious enough to warrant their removal, though they considered the trustees’ conversations with students to be inappropriate. 

Bahar-Cook is not open to discussions of divestment, saying the university needs to support Israel as long as the country is an ally to the United States. Balow says he empathizes with those affected by Israel’s war on Gaza and wants to encourage further dialogue, but isn’t sure whether MSU divesting from Israel will help "move the needle."

MSU’s board is tasked with overseeing the president and making big-picture decisions about the university’s finances and operations. Their terms last eight years, with two seats opening up every two years. The trustees are elected in statewide partisan races, and occasionally appointed by the governor if a trustees' resignation or other circumstances result in a vacated seat during a term.