The Michigan Secretary of State reports that, as of Saturday afternoon, nearly 2.8 million people have already voted — some 1.9 million by absentee ballot, and another more than 879,000 others at an in-person early voting center.
VOTER TURNOUT
From in-person and absentee ballots, as of midday Saturday.
Entire state: 38.3%
Antrim Co.: 49.8%
Benzie Co.: 51.6%
Charlevoix Co.: 39.6%
Emmet Co.: 43.3%
Grand Traverse Co.: 49.4%
Kalkaska Co.: 41.3%
Leelanau Co.: 53.6%
Manistee Co.: 40.5%
Wexford Co.: 29.1%
Source: Michigan Secretary of State dashboard
Angela Benander, with the Michigan Secretary of State’s office said more than a third of registered voters have taken advantage of early voting. This is the first year early in-person voting has been available.
Benander says this is the third statewide election this year, so it’s becoming more familiar to people.
“It’s been really great to see Michigan voters embracing this new option and looking forward to being able to offer it in future elections to come,” she told the Michigan Public Radio Network.
As of midday Saturday, some 11,439 ballots had been cast through early in-person voting in Grand Traverse County. In Leelanau County, 2,521 early in-person votes had been cast. The number topped 4,500 in Antrim County and 3,200 in Benzie County.
Check the number in your county here.
Benander said people will still be able to drop off absentee ballots at clerks’ offices or drop boxes by 8 p.m. on Tuesday. She says this close to Election Day her office is advising people against sending absentee ballots in the mail. And, of course, in-person voting resumes on Election Day.
The state requires every local government to have at least one designated early voting site.
Learn more about early voting, including where to vote.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Reporting for this story came from the Michigan Public Radio Network's Rick Pluta and IPR's Ed Ronco.
