Actions

Early voting starts today in Michigan as absentee ballots are sent out

Posted at 11:24 AM, Sep 24, 2020
and last updated 2020-09-24 11:24:31-04

Early voting starts today in Michigan, just weeks ahead of Election Day.

RELATED: 2020 ELECTION GUIDE – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

Starting Thursday morning, you'll be able to vote in-person at your local clerk's office.

We're now 40 days out from the election, so clerks have ballots that voters can come in and get, fill out and turn them right back in, avoiding any headache come Nov. 3.

Watch Gov. Whitmer's interview with 7 Action News below.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer talks early voting, state budget and COVID-19 on 7 Action News

"We will issue a ballot. We will give the resident, voter a ballot in an envelope," said Susan Nash, Livonia City Clerk.

Related: How to register to vote in Michigan
Related: Find your polling place in Michigan
Related: How to get an absentee ballot in Michigan
Related: View your sample ballot for the 2020 election

Livonia City Clerk Susan Nash explains the process of getting your vote in early, starting with an application you'd fill out in order to receive your ballot.

You can either turn it in on the spot or take it home to bring back.

"Sign it. Make sure you sign your envelope and turn it back in where there will be a ballot box in any city hall or township hall," said Nash.

Or you can mail it in. But Nash and Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown recommends you put it in a designated drop box if you can.

"I think that voters would perhaps have that confidence of knowing it's already been returned to the clerk's office," said Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown. "It's in the clerk's hand, and they don't have to worry about whether it got there in time to be counted or it got lost in the mail or something like but to that point, I would remind voters to use drop boxes if they have them in their community."

Absentee ballots will be going out in the mail starting today as well. Cities across the state are opening satellite offices.