Michigan Opens Early Voting and Tracks Absentee Ballot Surge
Michigan officials report a 20% increase in absentee ballot requests as the state prepares for early voting to begin on October 24.
More than 440,000 active registered voters in Michigan have already returned completed ballots for the November 3 General Election, accounting for 6% of the state's active electorate. According to the Michigan Department of State, 2,083,240 voters requested absentee ballots as of October 13, marking a 20% increase over the same period before the 2022 midterms. Nearly 2 million of these voters are on the permanent absentee ballot list.
Aghogho Edevbie, the Deputy Secretary of State, urged residents to return mail ballots as soon as possible to local drop boxes or clerk offices to ensure they are counted. Early voting sites will open statewide on October 24 and remain open through November 1. In Branch County, registered residents can cast ballots daily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Dearth Center in Coldwater. While photo identification is requested, voters without ID may sign an identity affidavit to cast a regular ballot.
Eligible citizens can register to vote online through October 19, though in-person registration remains available at local clerk offices through Election Day with proof of residency. Polls for the general election will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on November 3. All ballots must be received by a clerk or placed in an assigned drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
