Michigan’s early voting to start statewide Saturday

LANSING — Saturday marks the start of nine consecutive days of early voting in Michigan as the election nears its conclusion.

Voting in the state officially began in late September when absentee ballots were available to registered voters. Nearly a month later, more than 1.3 million ballots have been returned to local clerks — equal to an 18.5% turnout with two weeks of voting to go.

The November election is a historic one in Michigan but not because of the candidates on the ballot. It's the first general election in state history to include same-day voter registration, no-reason absentee voting and more than a week of early voting in person, all additions since 2018.

More: Township clerks run elections for half of Michigan residents. But what if no one wants the job?

The August primaries were the state's first true test of expanded early and absentee voting for the same election. While turnout in the Lansing area was less than 30%, voters made their preferences clear. More than 60% in Eaton County and more than 70% in Ingham County cast absentee ballots. About a quarter of voters in each county voted on Election Day, and less than 3% went to an early voting center.

The low early vote totals matched statewide trends, where about 1% of all voters cast ballots at an early vote location.

Absentee voting again appears to be the popular voting method in the Lansing area.

Voters in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties have requested about 120,000 absentee ballots. Through Wednesday, 72,690 had been returned, with an additional 361 early votes coming from East Lansing, the first area municipality to open an early voting center.

More: When is the last day to request an absentee ballot in Michigan?

East Lansing was the first in the area to do so, in part, to encourage Michigan State University student voters to register and vote early to avoid a repeat of long lines seen in 2022 as students registered and voted late on Election Day.

Starting Saturday, early voting must be available to all voters for at least eight hours a day through Sunday, Nov. 3, two days before Election Day. State law allowed local clerks to open early voting centers as early as Oct. 7.

The voter information website run by Secretary of State's Office — michigan.gov/vote — has information on all early voting center and ballot drop box locations throughout the state. Voters can also find contact information for their local clerk.

Eligible voters who haven't yet registered can still do so up to and on Election Day, Nov. 5, but must now register at their local clerk's office, rather than by mail.

More: What to know about Election Day in Michigan: Early voting, registration, absentee ballots

More: What's on your November ballot? Here's a breakdown of all Lansing area races, proposals

Contact reporter Matt Mencarini at mjmencarini@lsj.com .

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan’s early voting to start statewide Saturday