LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — In accordance with Governor Whitmer’s “stay at home” Executive Order issued Monday, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has announced that absent voter ballot applications will be mailed by her office to all voters in the May 5 election.
The purpose of doing so is to help ensure that both public health and democratic rights are protected.
“Our country has a long history of carrying out elections in times of crisis, and we are fortunate to have the tools to uphold that history today,” Benson said in a statement. “Voting by mail protects public health, is highly accessible, and was clearly mandated by Michiganders when they overwhelmingly voted in 2018 to amend our state constitution and afford everyone this right.”
Over the past two weeks, Secretary Benson has been working with clerks across the state to determine if they need to hold an election in May, or if the entity placing the item on their ballot could postpone to August.
According to Benson, many questions on the May ballots are for school district millages and bonds, and many districts have postponed. Benson gave clerks and the entities a few more days this week to make their decision.
Several entities may choose not to postpone due to matters such as existing critical funds possibly expiring. For those that choose not to, the Bureau of Elections will mail absent voter ballot applications to all voters with postage-paid return envelopes. Exception will be made for those who have already requested an absent voter ballot.
The state will include a cover letter that voting by mail is the best method under the circumstances.
“We are also working to ensure the health and safety guidelines of our state and federal government are followed in the lead up to and administration of the May 5 election,” said Benson. “This includes working to recruit election workers to serve in all jurisdictions and providing hygiene supplies and explicit guidance on how to process absent-voter ballots and carry out other election duties while observing strict health precautions.”
Benson adds that the state will assist local jurisdictions in ensuring postage-paid return envelopes are mailed to all who request ballots.
The latest information about the COVID-19 outbreak can be found online at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
