By Gari Voss
Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment in the November 2022 election. Now all voters can go to early voting sites and cast their ballots. The 9-day window for early voting began Sat., Feb. 17, 2023, and ends on Sun., Feb. 25th.
By contacting polling places, the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office reported “6,587 voters cast ballots Saturday, and 4,598 voters cast ballots Sunday, with numbers from poll book totals from early voting locations across the state.”
“All across the state, thousands of clerks and election workers ensured the historic day was a success,” Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in a news release after Saturday’s numbers were released. “I am grateful to all of them for their hard work and dedication to ensure every voice is heard and every vote is counted in every election.”
Early voting is not absentee voting though both can be accomplished before the polls open on the official Election Day. Early voting requires that a person go to the polling station and follow the normal procedure for casting an in-person ballot on Election Day. But a voter who casts an Absentee Ballot can go to the polls during early voting, retrieve their ballot, and vote in person.
It is always best to register to vote 14 days BEFORE going to the polls. Early voting sites do not offer same day registration unless it is also the local clerk’s office. Proper identification and proof of residency must be presented when registering.
Early voting sites can be located at Michigan.gov/Vote. Many times, early voting will be done at the normal voting site, but some precincts have come together to save money.
It is strongly suggested that voters take time to check their status at https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/. Also, check the polling place. A sample ballot can be reviewed at Michigan.gov/Vote.
REMEMBER that in a primary election, a voter must vote for only one party – Democrat or Republican or Independent nominees. Do not jump back and forth across the ballot. For information about those running for office, check https://www.freep.com/elections/voter-guide/2024-02-27/michigan. It summarizes the position of each candidate on major issues.
REMEMBER, early voting is just like Election Day. Once a ballot is put into the tabulator, choices cannot be changed. This is different from Absentee Ballots which can be retrieved from the clerk’s office.
The tabulators will hold information until Election Day when all votes are counted. Though tabulators can count how many ballots are run through, it cannot tell how many votes a candidate receives until the end of Election Day.
Early voting is an extremely secure process. Anyone wishing to understand the process more clearly should speak with their precinct clerk. For a real education, go through the training to become a poll worker. The training is intense and though early election days run a regular schedule, Election Day begins early and lasts until every task has been completed properly and the bags are locked and signed.
No matter if a person chooses to vote Absentee, during Early Voting, or on Election Day, the only way a person’s voice can be heard is if they take time to cast a vote.