The secretary of state, upon receipt of any petition for recount, shall immediately notify the county clerk of each county in which are located any precincts included in the petition for recount that a petition for recount by the board of state canvassers has been filed and the ballots for the precincts must be carefully preserved. Ballots and ballot containers must remain in the possession of city or township clerks until requisitioned by the canvass board.
MCL 168.883