DETROIT (FOX 2) - This year, voters in Michigan will get a chance to do something they’ve never done before in a presidential election: vote early. And those could have a massive impact on when the election is called in Michigan.
In 2022, Michigan overwhelmingly elected to allow early voting in the state. Early voting was first used in the primary elections this year. Now, this new addition will be put to the test as early voting is introduced to a general election.
What is early voting?
Early voting gives voters a chance to cast a ballot in advance of Election Day in a way that is similar to voting on Nov. 5.
Voters will get a ballot, fill it out, and submit it into a tabulator at an early voting site.
Early voting is different from absentee voting. Absentee allows you to fill out your ballot in the comfort of your home or office and then mail it back. However, if you opt for an absentee ballot, you can take it to an early voting site and insert it directly into the tabulator, just as you would with a ballot on Election Day.
Absentee voters have the option to ‘spoil’ their ballot – but you have to act early on that. It has to be done before Oct. 22, 2024.
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Early voting and risks: what every Michigan voter needs to know
Michigan is one of the 7 key swing states in the 2024 Election and there are some things you’ll need to know about voting early and absentee.
How many states have early voting?
Twenty-one states have early voting, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the American Virgin Islands.
That includes larger states like Texas, Illinois, New York, and Florida and smaller ones, too – North Dakota, Nebraska, West Virginia, and Nebraska.
Who is allowed to vote early in Michigan?
Any registered voter in the state has the right to vote early in person at an early voting site.
Early voting sites don’t offer voter registration in person unless they are at a clerk’s office or a clerk’s satellite office.
The Michigan Secretary of State recommends you register to vote prior to visiting an early voting site.
Learn more about what you need to register to vote here.
Where can I vote early?
If you want to vote early, you need to make sure you go to the right location. It is not necessarily the same place where you would normally vote on Election Day.
The State of Michigan has a website where you can search for your early voting location. On the state’s site, you can search many different ways and either enter your name and birth year, your driver’s license number, or your address. Once you enter, click ‘search’ and the page will show you your early voting location.
Michigan law requires that at least one early voting site be available to all voters in every city and township. Local clerks select the number and locations that work best for each community. This is based on population density, site accessibility, and voter turnout.
Additionally, local clerks can work together to create joint early voting sites.
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When does early voting start in Michigan?
Early voting in Michigan opens on the second Saturday before Election Day. This year, that date is Oct. 26.
Early voting takes place for at least nine consecutive days and must end on the Sunday before Election Day. This year, that is Nov. 3.
Communities can elect to do more election days, up to 29 days.
How will early voting affect the counting of ballots?
With the passage of early voting in Michigan, at least one clerk says it will be easier to count.
"For voters, it's going to be fantastic. You can vote in any way relevant to you and your life and family," Canton Township Clerk Michael Siegrist said.
Early voting will mean fewer delays in absentee ballots and ensure the counting of votes that are not made in person.