Michigan county and municipal clerks are finding it challenging to meet the needs of voters amid the coronavirus pandemic and following changes in 2018 when state voters approved of same-day voter registration and no-reason absentee voting.
The Secretary of State's office reported this week that over 1.5 million requests for absentee ballots have been made ahead of the Aug. 4 primary, more than three-and-a-half times the number than at the same time ahead of the 2016 election.
Rochester Hills Clerk Tina Barton is among the clerks with concerns. She restructured how her city handles voting, moving 16 of the 32 precincts because they were in senior facilities where health risks were too great.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Michigan, a timeline of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Southeast Michigan, and links to more information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC and the WHO.
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
Find out how you can help businesses and restaurants struggling during the pandemic.
Also, get information about Rebound Mid Michigan, with stories, information and more about coming back from COVID-19
Join the Rebound Mid Michigan Facebook Group.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.
