More than a million Michiganders have returned absentee ballots and another 138,680 cast ballots in early voting ahead of the Aug. 4 primary, according to data from the Michigan Department of State.
Michigan implemented early voting for the first time in 2024. This election's early voting period ran between July 25 and Aug. 2, though a handful of local clerks held early voting on Aug. 3 as well.
Jason Wade, 52, of Bloomfield Township, said in an Aug. 1 interview that early voting was convenient for him since he'll be out of town on Election Day. "I like it," he said. "We should enfranchise as many people as we can."
Debbie Rosenman, chair of the Birmingham-Bloomfield Area Democratic Club, said
her group encourages absentee and early voting, which give an alternative for people who may face obstacles like childcare or work on Election Day itself. Rosenman encouraged people to vote however they can in the primary.
"If you want to have a voice, you need to come out and vote now, in this election, and don't sit it out," she said.
Bre'Naya Lane, a 22-year-old East Lansing resident, said she appreciates the many different ways people can vote outside of Election Day.
"I think it gives people more of an opportunity," she said. "I know my parents, specifically, do it by mail."
The deadline for requesting absentee ballots has passed. Voters can still vote in person, and if you aren't registered to vote yet, you can register at your local clerk's office up until the polls close on Election Day at 8 p.m. Look up your local clerk's office here.
You can find your polling location on your voter registration card or look it up online.
Tristan McFolley is a Detroit Free Press intern. Reach him at tmcfolley@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Early, absentee voting methods draw more than 1M votes so far
