LANSING, Mich — Early voting for the August primary election is underway in Lansing, as the city faces scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice over its 2024 election practices.
WATCH: Lansing early voting begins amid DOJ scrutiny
Lansing City Clerk Chris Swope said the start of early voting has gone well and has made the process more accessible to residents.
"It gives people the opportunity to vote when it's convenient for them, when they have more time," Swope said.
DOJ letter and election monitors
Swope said the U.S. Department of Justice sent him a letter this summer informing him that federal election monitors would be deployed to Lansing, along with East Lansing and Detroit. The letter claimed Lansing did not use the statewide voter registration list as the official registration list at polling places during the 2024 election.
Swope disputed those claims.
"The things that they said happened in 2024 did not happen in Lansing, so I'm not sure what the basis is, really. It was kind of surprising to get that," Swope said.
City cooperating, election plans unchanged
Swope said the city has provided the information requested by the Department of Justice and is expecting to receive more details soon. He said the federal scrutiny has not changed any of the city's election plans.
"I'm fine with observers coming to watch our elections. We've had observers from various organizations and entities in the past, so this is just another observer. Voting will continue on, and we will have a safe, secure, and accurate election here in the city of Lansing," Swope said.
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