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More than 2.6 million absentee ballots returned in Michigan

Posted at 11:13 AM, Oct 30, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-30 13:02:05-04

(WXYZ) — The Michigan Secretary of State said more than 2.6 million people have already voted absentee in the 2020 general election, nearly half of the turnout in the 2008 presidential election, which was the highest in Michigan history.

Related: Here's how absentee ballots will be tabulated on election day

According to the Secretary of State's office, there have been 3,326,389 requests for absentee ballots and a total of 2,631,430 received.

“Michigan citizens are making their voices heard, confident that our elections will be an accurate reflection of the will of the people,” Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said in a release. “Every valid absentee ballot will be counted by a pair of election workers – one from each major political party – trained to tally them without political bias.”

Cities with most absentee ballots

Related: Your guide to the 2020 election
Related: How to register to vote in Michigan
Related: Find your polling place in Michigan
Related: How to get an absentee ballot in Michigan
Related: View your sample ballot for the 2020 election

Voters who still want to get an absentee ballot can go to their city or township clerk to request a ballot, fill it out and submit it in one trip.

Under Michigan law, clerk offices have to be open at least eight hours this weekend.

The Secretary of State is also reminding people to not use the mail for their absentee ballots. They have to be received by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.

In Detroit, there have been 131,869 absentee ballots returned of the 181,329 requested. That's the most ballots requested and returned in the state.

Grand Rapids had the second-most absentee ballots returned as of Friday morning with 49,368, followed by Ann Arbor with 47,276, Livonia with 35,067 and Canton with 33,429.