Secretary of state reports safe, secure primary election with 1.2M absentee and early ballots cast

A voting precinct at Lansing City Hall | Susan J. Demas

By the time polls closed at 8 p.m. Tuesday, more than 1.2 million Michiganders had cast an early or absentee ballot according to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, with local officials reporting steady turnout throughout the day.

“First, I want to congratulate all voters for participating in the Primary Election,” Benson said in a statement. “Secondly, I want to assure them that the counting and canvassing processes will be carried out in accordance with the law, every ballot will be counted fairly and accurately, and the election’s outcome will reflect their will.”

According to unofficial results on Thursday afternoon , more than 2 million people across the state voted in the primary election.

In August 2020, more than 2.5 million voters submitted their primary ballot, while over 2.1 million participated in the August 2022 primary.

Following the 2022 August primary, Benson noted in a press conference that more than 1.1 million voters had cast absentee ballots. In August 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, 1.6 million people voted absentee .

After unofficial results are released, the results are canvassed by election officials who review all election processes and results to confirm accuracy and correct clerical mistakes. The process is overseen by bipartisan boards of canvassers, who also conduct any recounts and certify the results of the election.

Once the results are canvassed by the county, the board of state canvassers conducts its own review, and votes to certify the findings. After the board certifies the elections, the results are considered final and official.

Benson’s office also noted it is common for vote tallies to change from the unofficial results, with the state’s election system including steps to identify and correct errors before results are finalized and certified.

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