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Michigan Secretary of State mailing absentee voter ballot applications ahead of May 5 election

Posted at 8:45 PM, Mar 23, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-23 23:21:15-04

(WXYZ) — Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced Monday that absentee ballot applications would be mailed to voters for the May 5 election amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Our country has a long history of carrying out elections in times of crisis, and we are fortunate to have the tools to uphold that history today,” Benson said. “Voting by mail protects public health, is highly accessible, and was clearly mandated by Michiganders when they overwhelmingly voted in 2018 to amend our state constitution and afford everyone this right.”

The move comes as clerks have worked alongside Benson's office in determining if a May election will be held or postponed until August.

The majority of the questions on the May ballots are school district millages and bonds, and many districts have postponed. Benson gave clerks and the entities a few more days this week to make their decision, a press release states.