Election officials in Michigan urged those who received absentee ballots to drop them off by hand to avoid using the bogged-down United States Postal Service.
Polls opened for Michigan’s primary election at 7 a.m., but many voters who requested absentee ballots so they could avoid going to the polling station during the pandemic have not received their ballots. The ballots must arrive on Election Day by 8 p.m., prompting election officials to urge those who received their absentee ballots to drop them off in person.
“I encourage Michiganders to cast their vote in the upcoming election, whether you drop your absentee ballot at your local clerk’s office or decide to vote safely in person on Tuesday,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a statement on Monday.
“I applaud Secretary [Jocelyn] Benson and our local clerks for the tireless, round-the-clock work to ensure Michiganders can vote safely as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Remember, if you’re voting absentee, don’t drop your ballot in the mail, take it to your clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on Tuesday,” she said.
The Michigan Secretary of State office reported that 1.28 million ballots have already been cast via mail. The office acknowledged that many voters have not received their absentee ballots as requested and advised them to vote in person.
“Registered voters who have requested but not yet received an absent voter ballot should contact or visit their clerk on Monday, or plan to vote at their polling place on Tuesday,” the office said in a statement. “Once at the polling place, they will be required to sign an affidavit stating that they did not receive an absent voter ballot. If a ballot was mailed to them and is returned, it will not be counted.”
President Trump has been critical of mail-in ballots and the Postal Service ahead of the election.
