Volunteers help students during their voting process at the District 13 polling precinct in IM Sports East. The Michigan primary took place March 10, 2020.
All registered Michigan voters will be mailed an application form to vote by mail in the upcoming Aug. 4 and Nov. 3 elections, according to a recent announcement from Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
The application will be mailed from the Bureau of Elections with a cover including instructions. Once the voter finishes the application, it needs to be signed and send it through mail or emailed as a photo to their local clerk, whose contact information is also on the application.
Benson said this is to ensure the safety of Michigan voters while keeping the process secure and accurate.
“By mailing applications, we have ensured that no Michigander has to choose between their health and their right to vote,” Benson said in a press release. “Voting by mail is easy, convenient, safe and secure, and every voter in Michigan has the right to do it.”
With March elections taking place shortly before the first cases of COVID-19 were announced in Michigan, Benson said in a statement that she wants to ensure the health and safety of Michigan voters and the clerks as well.
“We appreciate that some clerks are proactively protecting public health by mailing applications to all their registered voters, and we are fulfilling our responsibility to provide all voters equal access,” Benson said in the press release. “We know from the elections that took place this month that during the pandemic, Michiganders want to safely vote.”
Though all voters will be given the option for absentee voting, they will not be limited to that choice. Voters are allowed to change their mind and vote in person if they choose, according to the Secretary of State's website, where the application is also available.
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