KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Secretary of State’s office reported Tuesday that Michigan voters have already requested 2.5 million absentee ballots ahead of the November 3 general election.
According to data provided, this marks a 350% increase compared to 36 days before the 2016 general election. Clerks have issued 2 million ballots, a 400% increase.
“Voting absentee is a safe and secure option, and I encourage all voters who have requested a ballot to fill it out, sign the back of the envelope, and return it as soon as possible by mailing it or hand-delivering it to their clerk’s office or drop box,” Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in a statement. “Voters can be confident that in Michigan all correctly submitted absentee ballots will be counted.”
In Kalamazoo County, the number of absentee ballot requests clocks in at 72,246 as of September 28. As last reported, of those requests, just under 55,000 have been issued.
16,862 of those requests were made in the the City of Kalamazoo alone.
In order to make voting more accessible, the City of Kalamazoo recently passed a resolution that, among other provisions, will include expanded hours for requesting an absentee ballot.
“Starting on October 5, the open office hours will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and we’ll carry those hours through until the Friday prior to the election,” City Clerk Scott Borling said.
That Friday, October 30, is the last day Michigan residents have to request an absentee ballot. Two nights of that month, October 19 and 27, have been designated as extended evening office hours for that purpose. The Clerk’s office will be open until 9 p.m. on those nights.
“We’re gonna have, between those two days, eight hours of evening office hours where we’re open,” Borling said.
Elsewhere, Michigan voters can find their clerk’s information and request to have an absentee ballot sent to them at Michigan.gov/Vote.
They can also vote early by going to their local election clerk’s office and requesting an absentee ballot, filling it out, and submitting it all in one trip.
Voters who have already requested an absentee ballot by mail are encouraged to wait for the ballot to arrive by mail rather than visiting the clerk’s office.
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