Early voting in Michigan: 250K citizens voted in person this weekend
LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson plans to discuss how the first weekend of statewide early voting went on Monday morning.
Benson said over the weekend that more than 250,000 registered voters cast their ballots in early voting across the state. Not only that, Benson said more than 1.5 million people have voted absentee as well.
"What that means is nearly a quarter of the state's active registered voters, 24% have already cast their ballot in this November election," Benson said.
Early voting is new for Michiganders; this year was the first time it was offered statewide after voters approved a measure adding it to the state constitution in 2022. It differs from absentee voting, where voters fill out a ballot at home and submit it via mail, drop box, or to their clerk's office. When early voting, a voter can visit a polling place like they would on election day and fill out a ballot that they then place in a tabulator.
Early voting was first held during the March presidential primary then again during August primaries. But the 2024 general election will be the greatest test of the new system.
All municipalities must offer at least nine days of early voting, though cities have the option to allow up to 29 days of early in-person voting. Early voting in Detroit, for instance, began on Oct. 19.
Benson said a large portion of Oakland and Washtenaw County voters have already cast their ballots.
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"Oakland County and Washtenaw County are leading the state. They're the major counties with turnout. Oakland (is) seeing 27.5% of its active registered voters having cast a ballot, and Washtenaw (is) leading the state with 29.7%," Benson said.
Benson also said the state's dropboxes are secure and can be trusted – even as other states have seen boxes full of absenteeballets set on fire.
"They're (ballot drop boxes) designed in such a way as to make it very difficult to put anything but a ballot inside them," Benson said.
When can early voting be counted?
Under Michigan law, clerks can begin processing ballots as early as eight days before Election Day. That means clerks have the ability to start counting on Monday, Oct. 28.
"Jurisdictions with more than 5000 residents can have up to eight days of pre-processing, and every jurisdiction in Michigan has the option for an extra day. So for this election, 245 jurisdictions will start processing those ballots that are received through the mail or at dropboxes or dropped off at, election offices before Election Day," Benson said.
There is just one city in the state that will not start processing the ballots until Election Day: Warren.
Warren city and Macomb County clerks feud over absentee ballot processing
Warren City Clerk Sonja Buffa says she is waiting until Election Day to count the vote, despite what Benson and the Macomb County clerks are asking.
"I’d rather be accurate over speed. I think that’s the most important thing. I don’t want to hurry up and do anything - I want it to be done right," said Buffa two weeks ago.
Benson said her office offered support to the Buffa and recommendations. If, on Election Day, Warren is lagging behind, Benson said her office would be transparent about that problem.
"We have been in touch with the Warren Clerk and offered her any support that she needs, to ensure, the efficient tabulation and secure tabulation of the votes in her city. And, you know, I, I had hoped, and we certainly hope, that she would choose to take advantage of the option to begin pre-processing ballots returned to her through the mail or at a local dropbox," Benson said. "When it comes to election night, if there is one community that is, lagging behind others and it's Warren will be open about that so that we can make sure everyone knows exactly what's happening as we go through the process."
When to expect Michigan election results
Despite the ability to start the count early, Benson said the results will not be generated or visible until Election Day.
"It's important to remember that although the ballots will be run through the tabulator, results will not be generated or visible until after the polls close at 8 p.m. on election night," Benson said.
It also depends on when votes are cast. Benson said if clerks get a large number of results late in the day, it could slow the count.
"If there are thousands of those that come in after 4:00, let's say, that could delay the results for lack of a better word, or could extend the period of counting past that 8 p.m., closure of the polls," she said.
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.