Michigan SOS reiterates security of ballot drop boxes after boxes in Oregon, Washington set on fire
DETROIT (FOX 2) - After ballot boxes in Oregon and Washington were recently set on fire, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is working to quell fears about returning ballots to drop boxes.
Authorities said an incendiary device was placed inside the Oregon ballot box before igniting the fire, while a device outside the Washington box was used to set that one 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 asked about the security of ballot boxes in Michigan.
Ballot boxes set on fire in Oregon, Washington with hundreds of ballots burned
Police in Oregon and Washington are investigating two ballot box fires, both set Monday morning.
She said that the boxes are checked daily. State law requires that beginning 35 days before election day, ballot boxes must be emptied each day when the city or township clerk's office is open.
"They're checked daily. They're monitored by video cameras," she said. "The drop boxes in Michigan are safe."
A early voting ballot drop box in front of the Coleman Young Municipal Building in Detroit, Michigan, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Dominic Gwinn / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP vi
Benson noted that some people may tamper with boxes somewhere in the U.S. "to create a story."
"Of course, fear makes people afraid to use the drop boxes," she said. "We don't want to amplify unnecessary fears. The drop boxes in Michigan are safe."
Tracking absentee ballots
Though the boxes are considered safe and secure, checking the status of your ballot is important to make sure it made its way to your clerk.
A state website allows voters to see when they requested their ballot, when their clerk issued the ballot, and when the clerk received the completed ballot.
Voters can also contact their clerk's office to check if their ballot was received.
Requesting an absentee ballot
Visit your clerk's office to request an absentee ballot. While there, you can fill out the ballot and submit it.
Voters also had the option to request absentee ballots online, but the state recommends requesting them in person within two weeks of the election to avoid mail delays.
Returning absentee ballots
Voters who still plan to vote absentee have until 8 p.m. on election day to submit their ballot.
There are several options for returning an absentee ballot. Voters can mail them to their clerk, bring them to their clerk's office, put them in a drop box, or take them to an early voting site. Since the election is only a week away, mailing a ballot is not recommended, as it may not arrive in time.
Returning ballots to the clerk
Ballots can be mailed or hand-delivered to the clerk's office.
Find your clerk's office here.
Can you change your vote in Michigan?
Michigan voters who have voted already, either absentee or during in-person early voting, are not able to change their vote. However, there is a caveat - if you requested an absentee ballot but never submitted it to your clerk, you are able to spoil it and vote in person.
Returning ballots to an early voting site
Early voting in Michigan opened on the second Saturday before election day and takes place for at least nine consecutive days. It ends Nov. 3.
Some communities, such as Detroit, may elect to have their early voting sites open for longer. Municipalities can opt to have early voting available for up to 29 days.
Voters can bring their completed absentee ballot to their early voting location and place it into a tabulator, just like they would on election day.
Spoiling absentee ballots in Michigan
An absentee ballot that has not been submitted to a clerk can be spoiled at your clerk's office until 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4.
Voters also have the option to spoil their unsubmitted absentee ballots at an early voting site ahead of the election or their polling place on election day. Bring your ballot with you when you go to vote and let the poll workers know that you would like to spoil the ballot and vote in person.
Voters who have not submitted their absentee ballot but do not have it to return will be required to sign a statement confirming that the ballot was lost or destroyed.