NewsCoronavirus

Actions

Benson: Voters need clear choices of how to vote in pandemic

Jocelyn Benson
Posted at 1:01 PM, Jun 21, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-21 19:28:38-04

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan's chief election officer says she is cautiously optimistic about preparations for the 2020 elections amid the coronavirus outbreak, emphasizing the state can avoid failures seen elsewhere by giving people clear choices of how to vote absentee or in person.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said her office has recruited at least 2,000 workers for the August and November elections to address shortages due to veteran volunteers' safety concerns and because local clerks will need extra staff to process a surge in absentee ballots.

She said encouraging people to vote by mail will not limit the ability to vote in person.

Additional Coronavirus information and resources:

Read our daily Coronavirus Live Blog for the latest updates and news on coronavirus.

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 metro Detroit restaurants struggling during the pandemic.

See all of our Helping Each Other stories.

See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.