Lansing residents are not turning in absentee ballots

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Community members in Lansing are not turning in their absentee ballots before the primary election in August.

Residents across Michigan have been turning in absentee ballots weeks before the primaries.

Officials said most people in Lansing who requested an absentee ballot haven’t turned them in yet. The Lansing City Clerk told News 10 what people need to get so they can make sure their vote gets counted.

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“It’s a higher percentage of ballots that haven’t been returned this close to the election,” said Lansing City’s Clerk Chris Swope.

He added that this may be because it is a partisan primary where you can only vote one party.

About 4,500 people haven’t turned in their absentee ballots out of the 17,000 the city sent out. With just days before ballots are due it is too late to put them in the mail.

Officials said voters have to hand-deliver their ballots to the clerk’s office or drop it off at a local drop box. The drop boxes opened earlier the summer of 2022, and Alfreda Schmidt Community Center employee Mitchell Roland, said he made sure to get his vote.

“Just get up and do it, because it’s got to be done. If you don’t show any interest, than you can’t say anything about what’s being changed,” said Roland.

Many clerks’ offices are now open longer to help people register and vote absentee.

The republican gubernatorial candidates are making stops around the state to encourage their supporters to get out and vote.

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