Michigan SOS: Tuesday Turnout Was Immense, But Concerns Linger

MICHIGAN — A record number of voters turned out for Michigan's primary election Tuesday, while state polling locations operated in a clean and safe manner, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said Thursday. But regardless of Tuesday's successes, Benson said concerns linger surrounding gathering results for November's election in a timely manner.

Benson said more than 2.5 million people voted in the primary, breaking the previous record for an August primary, which was 2.2 million set in 2018. She also said that a record 1.6 million ballot were absentee, allowing for fewer lines and crowding at the polls.

“The success of the primary proved once again that Michigan can hold safe, accessible, secure and on-schedule elections during the pandemic, and this will serve as our blueprint for the presidential election,” Benson said. “To ensure similar success and safety in November, when turnout will double if not triple, I am calling on the state legislature to act now and support all clerks, election workers and voters.”

The positives surrounding Tuesday's election brought forth concerns for November's election, Benson said. Two Michigan laws — one preventing the processing of absentee ballots before polls open and the other requiring ballots to arrive at clerk offices or drop boxes by 8 p.m. on election day — could cause significant delays in November and disenfranchise thousands of voters, Benson said.

Benson said she and clerks across the state have pressed lawmakers to make fixes, but despite bills being introduced to tackle both problems, and bipartisan support for the bill that would allow absentee ballot processing prior to election day, neither bill has received a vote.

Tuesday's primary was a demonstration that those laws must change, Benson said, adding that many of the board counting absentee ballots did not finish doing so until early Wednesday morning causing delays in gathering results.

Turnout is expected to increase dramatically in November, and already 2.4 million Michiganders are on a permanent absent-voter lists or have requested to have their November ballot sent to them by mail, Benson said. She warned that unless lawmakers act now, the result could be the disenfranchisement of tens of thousands of Michigan voters, and the nation waiting days for Michigan results in order to determine the outcome of the presidential election.

“Democracy is a team sport, and I am hopeful state lawmakers will soon step up and do their part,” Benson said. “In the meanwhile, I congratulate and commend the state and local election officials who worked tirelessly ahead of the primary election, and I know will continue to do so in the months ahead.