INSIDER
Michigan voters embrace early voting option with over 1M ballots cast ahead of primary election
Read full article: Michigan voters embrace early voting option with over 1M ballots cast ahead of primary electionAhead of the primary, more than one million ballots have been cast in Michigan, according to Michigan's Secretary of State.
What you need to know about redistricting before the Michigan Primary Election
Read full article: What you need to know about redistricting before the Michigan Primary ElectionWe’re now less than two weeks from primary election day, and as always, in some districts, the primary determines the winner. But with redistricting, we’re moving into very new political territory.
City of Detroit Office of Inspector General investigates Detroit city clerk campaign
Read full article: City of Detroit Office of Inspector General investigates Detroit city clerk campaignThe Michigan Inspector General is out with a new report saying a deputy of Detroit city clerk, Janice Winfrey, abused their authority. That report states that Reuben Washington used the clerk’s office to organize petition signatures for Winfrey’s campaign for congress.
Activists asking for Arabic-language voting ballots in Dearborn face pushback from county clerk
Read full article: Activists asking for Arabic-language voting ballots in Dearborn face pushback from county clerkThere is pushback in the efforts to get ballots printed in Arabic for Dearborn voters and it’s coming from Wayne County Clerk Kathy Garrett.
Worldwide paper shortage causing concerns for balloting ahead of midterm elections
Read full article: Worldwide paper shortage causing concerns for balloting ahead of midterm electionsA worldwide paper shortage is having a ripple effect. Some retailers can't print catalogs, and prices for direct mail are far more expensive than in years past.
Former Flint Township clerk accused of tampering with ballots during election she narrowly won
Read full article: Former Flint Township clerk accused of tampering with ballots during election she narrowly wonA former Flint Township clerk is accused of tampering with a ballot container so the votes inside couldn’t be recounted during an election she narrowly won, officials said.
Absentee ballot trends: Are Michigan clerks seeing more or less in this election?
Read full article: Absentee ballot trends: Are Michigan clerks seeing more or less in this election?For political reasons, many politicians -- mostly Republicans -- have tried to convince the electorate the absentee ballots are not a safe and secure way to vote.
Civil rights advocates ask city of Dearborn for Arabic-language voting ballots
Read full article: Civil rights advocates ask city of Dearborn for Arabic-language voting ballotsAfter pressure from civil rights groups, the city released absentee ballot applications in Arabic online and already has registration in Arabic.
Michigan SOS: Absentee ballots for Aug. 3 election should be returned in person, by drop box
Read full article: Michigan SOS: Absentee ballots for Aug. 3 election should be returned in person, by drop boxMichigan voters who are voting absentee in the Aug. 3 primary election should return ballots in person or at a local drop box.
Michigan officials begin statewide audit of 2020 election results
Read full article: Michigan officials begin statewide audit of 2020 election resultsLANSING, Mich. – Michigan election workers and employees rolled a 10-sided die to choose 20 numbers that will go through a random number generating software to choose ballots to be inspected and audited. More than 18,000 ballots will be used for what the state calls a risk-limiting audit. The audit is routine but will be under heavy scrutiny this year after repeated false claims that the state’s election was fraudulent or riddled with issues. Those claims focused on Antrim County where human error initially changed several thousand votes for President Trump to President-elect Joe Biden. Supreme Court rejects fast track for Trump election casesThe Supreme Court on Monday formally refused to put on a fast track election challenges filed by President Donald Trump and his allies.
Rep. removed from Michigan House Oversight Committee amid investigation
Read full article: Rep. removed from Michigan House Oversight Committee amid investigationLANSING, Mich. – Michigan Rep. Cynthia Johnson is under investigation after she posted on social media a response to the many violent, vulgar and racist death threats she’s received. The video, posted Tuesday night, has quickly gone viral and legislative leadership removed her from her House Oversight Committee assignments Wednesday. “My soldiers, they are soldiers for Christ, soldiers against racism, soldiers against domestic violence, soldiers against domestic terrorism,” Johnson said. Rep. Johnson has been removed from her committee assignments, and we are looking into further disciplinary action as the proper authorities conduct their own investigations. Whitmer, Secretary Benson, Rep. Johnson herself, and others.
Michigan House Oversight Committee members receive death threats, racist voicemails
Read full article: Michigan House Oversight Committee members receive death threats, racist voicemailsLANSING, Mich. – Michigan Rep. Cynthia Johnson, the Democratic chair of the House Oversight Committee is receiving death threats due to the election. She posted several of the threats to social media. After both Democratic and Republican representatives have received threats of violence over the election, Michigan Assistant Minority Floor Leader Laurie Pohutsky posted on Twitter about the SNL sketch. The SNL skit was amusing, I guess, but last night my caucus was trying to figure out how to keep those on that committee safe from the deluge of death threats they’re receiving. I’m sorry to be a bummer and I’m glad people enjoyed the skit, but the reality of it is heinous.
Rudy Giuliani pushes Michigan election fraud claims in Lansing
Read full article: Rudy Giuliani pushes Michigan election fraud claims in LansingLANSING, Mich. – While supporters of President Donald Trump stood outside the Michigan House office building, Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani testified before Michigan House on Wednesday, claiming massive voter fraud in Detroit. Giuliani brought with him witnesses, who signed affidavits that have already been presented in court in Trump campaign lawsuits and have been dismissed or pulled by the campaign. READ: Giuliani to Republicans: Pressure Legislature on Biden winThe Michigan Senate held a similar hearing on Tuesday. Michigan House Republications made it clear that Wednesday’s hearing was not about overturning election results in Michigan, but about listening to people who claimed they saw irregularities at the TCF Center in Detroit. Disputing President Donald Trump’s persistent, baseless claims, Attorney General William Barr declared Tuesday the U.S. Justice Department has uncovered no evidence of widespread voter fraud that could change the outcome of the 2020 election.
Few Michigan absentee ballots rejected amid record voter turnout in 2020 election
Read full article: Few Michigan absentee ballots rejected amid record voter turnout in 2020 electionSee the full list of reasons for rejected Michigan ballots in the table below. In the August primary election, about 10,600 of 1.6 million absentee ballots (less than 1 percent) were rejected in Michigan. The state’s previous record was 2.5 million votes cast in the Aug. 2020 primary election, which also beat a record of 2.2 million votes cast in the Aug. 2018 primary. The 3.3 million Michigan absent voter ballots cast this November beat the state’s previous record of 1.6 million votes cast in the Aug. 2020 primary election. Before then, the highest number of absent voter ballots cast in Michigan was 1.3 million in the 2016 presidential election.
Michigan State Sen. Mike Shirkey returns from Trump visit, does not answer questions
Read full article: Michigan State Sen. Mike Shirkey returns from Trump visit, does not answer questionsDETROIT – The envoy of Michigan Republican lawmakers who traveled to the White House Friday for a controversial meeting with President Donald Trump returned home Saturday. Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey refused to answer questions despite releasing a statement the day before. There were also photos of Chatfield and several other Michigan Republicans drinking inside Trump Hotel while seated at a table. The State Board of Canvassers meets Monday to vote on certifying the state election. Since the presidential election Republican leaders have made allegations of voter fraud without substantial evidence.
Michigan GOP lawmakers meet with President Trump at White House
Read full article: Michigan GOP lawmakers meet with President Trump at White HouseDETROIT – Michigan Senate majority leader Mike Shirkey and House speaker Lee Chatfield met with President Donald Trump at the White House Friday. It’s one of the most controversial White House meetings in recent history and there’s concern the president is going to try get Shirkey and Chatfield to overturn Michigan’s election results. No matter the party, when you have an opportunity to meet with the President of the United States, of course you take it. We each accepted his invitation as we would accept an invitation from any sitting President if asked to meet at the White House. “We used our time in the White House to deliver a letter to President Trump making clear our support for additional federal funds to help Michigan in the fight against COVID-19.
Wayne County GOP canvassers say call from Trump did not influence vote decisions
Read full article: Wayne County GOP canvassers say call from Trump did not influence vote decisionsDETROIT – The two GOP members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers said the presidential election played no role in their decision despite receiving a phone call from President Donald Trump. The presidential phone call is where the controversy begins, but they both said the president’s only concern was for their safety. Monica Palmer said she has deep concerns for her daughter’s safety and William Hartmann has reportedly gone into hiding. Wayne County Board of Canvassers vice chair Jonathan Kinloch said he believes their explanation falls flat. The Michigan Secretary of State’s office said in a statement Thursday that there is no legal mechanism for two Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers to rescind their votes cast for certification.
What we know about President Trump’s meeting with two Michigan GOP lawmakers
Read full article: What we know about President Trump’s meeting with two Michigan GOP lawmakersDETROIT – Michigan Senate majority leader Mike Shirkey and House speaker Lee Chatfield are expected to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House Friday. It’s an extraordinary move as the Trump Campaign continues to attempt to stop Michigan from certifying the election results. Speaker Lee Chatfield confirmed that he was meeting with the president in a tweet just before the meeting Friday, saying he is honored to speak with Trump. No matter the party, when you have an opportunity to meet with the President of the United States, of course you take it. And I look forward to our conversation.”The 4 p.m. meeting comes after a contentious meeting with the Wayne County Board of Canvassers.
Michigan GOP lawmakers to meet with President Trump at White House Friday
Read full article: Michigan GOP lawmakers to meet with President Trump at White House FridayTheir vote will stand.”The big question is what the Michigan Board of State Canvassers does on Monday. In midst of the election certification process, President Donald Trump has asked Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey and House Speaker Lee Chatfield to meet with him at the White House on Friday. Representatives with the Michigan State House and Senate could not be reached for comment. “There is no legal mechanism for them to rescind their vote. Their job is done and the next step in the process is for the Board of State Canvassers to meet and certify,” said secretary of state spokeswoman Tracy Wimmer, the AP reports.
GOP members of Wayne County Board of Canvassers try to change vote after speaking with President Trump
Read full article: GOP members of Wayne County Board of Canvassers try to change vote after speaking with President TrumpDETROIT – There’s an old legal theory you can’t unring a bell, but two GOP members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers are trying to. They’re attempting to reverse their vote in an effort to stop the certification of Wayne County ballots that they approved on Tuesday. “I remain in the firm belief that the Wayne County vote should not be certified. This is the Wayne County Board of Canvassers and we have the responsibility to carry out official actions on behalf of the public,” Kinloch said. Their job is done and the next step in the process is for the board of state canvassers to meet and certify.”You can watch the full report in the video posted above.
Wayne County Board of Canvassers GOP members attempt to rescind vote certification
Read full article: Wayne County Board of Canvassers GOP members attempt to rescind vote certificationThe federal lawsuit in Michigan over votes in Wayne County has been withdrawn. The Trump Campaign said it achieved what it wanted when the Wayne County Board of Canvassers refused to certify the results. Hours later, the board did vote to certify them, but now the two Republican members said they want to rescind their votes. He said he didn’t agree to certification and that he believes there were more than clerical errors in Wayne County. She said the election has been certified in Wayne County and has already been sent to the state board of canvassers.
Michigan to certify presidential election results following Wayne County’s certification
Read full article: Michigan to certify presidential election results following Wayne County’s certificationDETROIT – The Wayne County Board of Canvassers unanimously voted to certify the November election results Tuesday and asked the Michigan Secretary of State to conduct an audit of any Wayne County precincts with unexplained mismatching vote totals. The Michigan Board of State Canvassers has until Nov. 23 to certify the election. President Donald Trump tweeted repeatedly about the canvassers and called the two Republicans who voted against certification patriots. The Wayne County Ethics Board is looking into that complaint. This has nothing to do at all with where people live and the races they are.”The state board was expected to meet Wednesday, but that meeting has been postponed.
Wayne County Board of Canvassers certifies election results after GOP refusal
Read full article: Wayne County Board of Canvassers certifies election results after GOP refusalDETROIT – The Wayne County Board of Canvassers unanimously voted to certify the November election results Tuesday and asked the Michigan Secretary of State to conduct an audit of any Wayne County precincts with unexplained mismatching vote totals. A Board of Canvassers meeting was scheduled Wednesday, but sources claim it has been postponed until Monday. Initially, the Wayne County Board of Canvassers had two Republican and two Democrat members deadlocked on the vote to certify the election results in Wayne County. After the board agreed that they wanted to have an audit of the election, the Republicans -- Monica Palmer and William Hartmann -- voted to actually certify the Wayne County election. Detroit had the same issue in the August primary, but the board voted to certify the results then.
Wayne County Board of Canvassers asks Secretary of State to audit unbalanced precincts following certification approval
Read full article: Wayne County Board of Canvassers asks Secretary of State to audit unbalanced precincts following certification approvalDETROIT – The Wayne County Board of Canvassers unanimously voted to certify the November election results Tuesday and asked the Michigan Secretary of State to conduct an audit of any Wayne County precincts with unexplained mismatching vote totals. Two Republican members of the board voted not to certify and Democratic members voted to certify. Detroit had the same issue in the August primary, but the board voted to certify the results then. RELATED: In reversal, Wayne County Board of Canvassers unanimously approve certification of election votesRELATED: Deadlocked Wayne County Board of Canvassers fails to certify election resultsPalmer suggested certifying the rest of Wayne County but excluding Detroit, which was criticized by some members of the public. “I’m very proud of my colleagues on the Wayne County Board of Canvassers.
In reversal, Wayne County Board of Canvassers unanimously approve certification of election votes
Read full article: In reversal, Wayne County Board of Canvassers unanimously approve certification of election votesDETROIT – The Wayne County Board of Canvassers has reversed its vote on Tuesday and unanimously approved to certify election votes hours after it was split. READ: Deadlocked Wayne County Board of Canvassers fails to certify election resultsREAD: Judge denies GOP lawsuit to halt certification of Detroit election resultsThe lawsuit, filed by a group of Republican challengers, was based on allegations of fraud, surrounding the count at the TCF Center in downtown Detroit. The lawsuit was initially denied by a Wayne County judge on Friday, saying that it was “incorrect and not credible.”Lawyers appealed and were rejected on Monday. The state Court of Appeals said it wasn’t convinced the Wayne County judge made a mistake by refusing to stop the work of county canvassers. That means efforts to stop the certification of Detroit area votes hit a road block.
Michigan Court of Appeals rejects lawsuit requesting delay of election certification in Wayne County
Read full article: Michigan Court of Appeals rejects lawsuit requesting delay of election certification in Wayne CountyDETROIT – The Wayne County Board of Canvassers will move forward with certifying election votes after the Michigan Court of Appeals rejected a request to delay certification. UPDATE Nov. 19, 2020: Trump campaign withdraws federal lawsuit challenging Michigan election resultsA lawsuit, filed by a group of Republican challengers, asked the court to require an independent audit of votes cast by people in Wayne County. The state Court of Appeals said it wasn’t convinced the Wayne County judge made a mistake by refusing to stop the work of county canvassers. The Wayne County Board of Canvassers will meet Tuesday afternoon to vote on certifying election results. UPDATE: Michigan: GOP canvassers can’t legally rescind Wayne County election certification vote
Judge denies GOP lawsuit to halt certification of Detroit election results
Read full article: Judge denies GOP lawsuit to halt certification of Detroit election resultsA Wayne County judge has denied a motion from Republican challengers to halt certification of Detroit election results. In a ruling issued Friday, Wayne County Judge Timothy Kenny said plaintiffs' interpretation of events at TCF Center were “incorrect and not credible.”“Plaintiffs' affiants did not have full understanding of TCF absent ballot tabulation.” Judge Kenny denied all motions, including one for an independent audit. Previous: Hundreds provide testimonies -- but no real evidence -- in Trump campaign lawsuit to stop certification of Michigan election resultsThere is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Kenny twice has turned down injunctions in Wayne County, a Democratic stronghold. Those who submitted affidavits questioned ballot transportation and most often were either not allowed to enter or saw others not allowed to enter.
Georgia recount: Full by-hand count of presidential ballots, secretary of state says
Read full article: Georgia recount: Full by-hand count of presidential ballots, secretary of state saysThe Republican secretary of state in Georgia said Wednesday his state will conduct an audit of the 2020 presidential race as they plan to recount millions of ballots by hand. “We have all worked hard to bring fair and accurate counts to assure that the will of the voters is reflected in the final count," said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. of State Raffensperger says the state will conduct a “full, by hand recount in each county”; Biden currently leads by 14,111 votes. “We will work with the counties to get this (recount) done in time for our state certification,” said Raffensperger. He would become the first Democratic presidential candidate to win the Peach State since President Bill Clinton in 1992.
Here’s what comes next in Michigan’s ballot-counting process
Read full article: Here’s what comes next in Michigan’s ballot-counting processThe process must be complete by Nov. 17 when county boards have to send totals to the Secretary of State. On Dec. 14, Michigan’s 16 electors meet to vote for the candidates their names represented on the ballot. How Detroit suburbs voted in 2020 presidential electionWe’re taking a closer look at how Metro Detroit voted for president in the Nov. 3 General Election. Detroit’s election turnout was 49.56% -- 250,138 total votes out of 504,714 registered voters. In Oakland County, Biden won with 56.36% of the vote -- 433,982 total votes for the Democrat.
Wayne County Treasurer’s Office closes over threat to steal ballots; Sheriff weighs in
Read full article: Wayne County Treasurer’s Office closes over threat to steal ballots; Sheriff weighs inDETROIT – Protests in Detroit remained mostly peaceful outside of the TCF Center in Downtown Detroit, but police dealt with multiple threats over the election. A woman claimed a bomb was left near the TCF Center, and a Wayne County building closed over a threat to go in the building and steal ballots. Tensions continue in Detroit Friday night, just days after the election -- from the TCF Center to the county Treasurer’s Office in Greektown. Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon said officials closed the Treasurer’s Office early Friday afternoon. On Wednesday, just one day after the election, supporters incumbent President Donald Trump protested outside the TCF Center, demanding to be let inside where poll workers were counting ballots.
Republican-led Michigan House, Senate to hold hearing on vote count Saturday
Read full article: Republican-led Michigan House, Senate to hold hearing on vote count SaturdayLANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State House and Senate Oversight Committees will be in session Saturday to discuss the ballot counting process. Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel was in Oakland County Friday asserting that there are claims that need to be addressed. READ: Michigan House Speaker says GOP will launch vote counting inquiryREAD: Republican National Committee chair calls for investigation into Michigan ballot-counting processREAD: Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson disputes claims by Republican National Committee chair on Michigan’s ballot counting processIssues included complaints about the counting process at the TCF Center. There were also questions on why Antrim County had flipped votes for incumbent President Donald Trump and challenger Joe Biden. Every vote that was cast was counted accurately and there is a paper ballot backup," said Rochester Hills city clerk Tina Barton.
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson disputes claims by Republican National Committee chair on Michigan’s ballot counting process
Read full article: Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson disputes claims by Republican National Committee chair on Michigan’s ballot counting processDETROIT – Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson dispute claims made by Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel in regards to Michigan’s ballot counting process. However, the clerk accidentally did not update the software used to collect voting machine data and report unofficial results. In order to report unofficial results, county clerks use election management system software to combine the electronic totals from tabulators and submit a report of unofficial results. In response, Thomas issued a statement saying, “The accusations are wrong and reveal the person making them doesn’t know Michigan’s election process. The Republican-led Michigan State House and Senate will hold hearings on the “voting and counting process” in the state, according to House Speaker Lee Chatfield.
Republican National Committee chair calls for investigation into Michigan ballot-counting process
Read full article: Republican National Committee chair calls for investigation into Michigan ballot-counting processDETROIT – Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel is calling for an investigation into the ballot-counting process in Michigan. “Today (Friday), we announce the Republican National Committee has deployed legal teams in four states, including Michigan, to investigate vote tabulations in those states," McDaniel said in a press conference. This week at the TCF Center in Detroit, Republican poll watchers claimed they were tossed from the building and not allowed to observe the ballot-counting process. Officials have said that individuals from both the Democratic and Republican parties were present during the ballot-counting process at the TCF Center. In response, Thomas issued a statement saying, “The accusations are wrong and reveal the person making them doesn’t know Michigan’s election process.
Trump supporters hold protest outside TCF Center over election results
Read full article: Trump supporters hold protest outside TCF Center over election resultsDETROIT – A steady stream of protesters lined up in front of the TCF Center in Detroit to rally Friday in support of President Donald Trump. Roughly 200 people demanded a review of Michigan’s election results. Nearly 2.8 million votes were cast for Former Vice President Joe Biden, who won the state. The crowd is questioning the results and have protested nearly everyday as results still come in from uncalled states. Any of the five states still up for grabs would call the election for Biden.
Protesters gather at TCF Center, spar over election
Read full article: Protesters gather at TCF Center, spar over electionDETROIT – Two groups of protestors spent Thursday night yelling at each other outside the TCF Center in Detroit. What motivated these groups to come out may have been the counting of the ballots here but there were multiple ideologies. The central issue was the election between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden, but there were also rants about globalist conspiracies, anti-government, anti-mask and Black Lives Matter. Officers did move in to form a barrier between the groups when it looked like things were going to get physical. READ: Ballot counting finishes at TCF Center in DetroitREAD: Michigan AG addresses election integrity amid Trump lawsuitsREAD: Workers share experience inside TCF Center during ballot counting, protests
#SharpieGate is fake. Ballots are not ‘magically’ found. Biden did not win all mail-in votes in Michigan.
Read full article: #SharpieGate is fake. Ballots are not ‘magically’ found. Biden did not win all mail-in votes in Michigan.Fake claims about the 2020 Election are flooding social media -- as expected. Polling showed a huge advantage for Biden in mail-in voting, and mail-in voting takes longer to count. According to a New York Times analysis, more than 433,000 mail-in ballots were counted for Trump in Michigan, about 30 percent of the mail-in ballot vote in the state. Social media origins : If you see something floating around social media, like a meme or a story, try to find the original source and check it yourself. The Trust Index team fact checks questionable information circulating on social media and in our communities.
EXPLAINER: Why AP hasn’t called North Carolina
Read full article: EXPLAINER: Why AP hasn’t called North CarolinaWHY AP CALLED NORTH CAROLINA FOR TRUMPThe Associated Press declared Donald Trump the winner in North Carolina on Friday after concluding there were not enough ballots left to be counted that would allow Joe Biden to overtake his lead. Friday was the deadline for counties in North Carolina to certify their results. Following updates from most counties in the state, Trump was leading by about 73,690 votes, or 1.3 percentage points. But a few individual contests, including North Carolina, remained too early to call. North Carolina took a long time to call because the race was close and ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 could be counted until Thursday.
Election officials get head start on absentee ballots at TCF Center
Read full article: Election officials get head start on absentee ballots at TCF CenterDETROIT – Election officials are getting a head start inside Detroit’s TCF Center on Monday -- opening envelopes, matching ballots and voters and logging them into the state system, and setting the ballots aside to be counted on Tuesday’s Election Day. As of Monday, more than 2.6 million absentee votes have been returned statewide with at least another 700,000 expected to arrive by Tuesday. On Sunday, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said that it won’t be up to anyone except the state. “Candidates don’t get to choose who wins an election, the voters do. And myself and the 1,500 clerks and 83 county clerks all across the state will be vigilantly committed to counting every ballot vote,” Benson said.
Both presidential campaigns making final push to Election Day
Read full article: Both presidential campaigns making final push to Election DayWith one day left until Election Day on Nov. 3, more people from both campaign teams are showing up in Michigan, aiming to gather as many votes as possible. President Trump stopped in Washington Township Sunday, holding a rally at Total Sports Park. READ: Both presidential campaigns prioritize Michigan ahead of Election DayREAD: Michigan Election 2020: How to find your voting precinctFormer President Barack Obama, Vice President Mike Pence, former Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden and even Gov. In the meantime, Trump and Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden are both planning to campaign leading up to Tuesday. On Monday, Trump is preparing for his final two stops in Traverse City and Grand Rapids -- Grand Rapids was the final stop on Trump’s campaign trail back in 2016.
US judge orders USPS to speed up election ballot delivery in Detroit
Read full article: US judge orders USPS to speed up election ballot delivery in DetroitDETROIT – A U.S. district court judge has ordered the United States Postal Service (USPS) to speed up its delivery of ballots in Detroit in order to be counted in the presidential election. Delivery of ballots in the USPS' Detroit district has dipped as low as 57% over the past week, Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s office said Saturday. In fact, the USPS’ Detroit district is considered to have the slowest mail delivery in the nation, according to data released by the USPS. The data shows that mail delivery in the Detroit region was about 15% slower than the national average during the first week of October. The national average mail delivery time has also dropped from 91% of on-time delivery to 86% in October.
EXPLAINER: A long night, or more, before president is known
Read full article: EXPLAINER: A long night, or more, before president is knownBut mail ballots generally require more time to process than ballots cast in person. DIFFERENT STATES, DIFFERENT APPROACHESSome states with extensive experience in using mail-in ballots have adjusted for those extra steps. For example, mail-in ballots from Nevada voters are not due until Nov. 10 if postmarked by Election Day. In North Carolina, mail-in ballots were not due until Nov. 12 if postmarked by Election Day. Expect the Trump campaign's legal team to challenge the validity of many mail-in ballots cast in critical battleground states such as Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Oakland County clerk’s office holds demonstration of election integrity
Read full article: Oakland County clerk’s office holds demonstration of election integrityPONTIAC, Mich. – Oakland County officials are testing election security, and election workers are testing for every possible way to fill out a ballot to make sure nothing is out of place before Election Day. We have so many checks and balances in place in Michigan,” said Oakland County clerk Lisa Brown. Millions have already cast their ballots, and county clerks are working to be able to prepare their counts one day early. Election officials are also warning to get ballots in as soon as possible or even drop them off in person so the count can get underway on Nov. 3. My staff’s done an incredible job to find the most efficient process, and I think we’ll be OK,” Brown said.
Representative from West Bloomfield Clerk’s Office will not go to your home and ask for your absentee ballot
Read full article: Representative from West Bloomfield Clerk’s Office will not go to your home and ask for your absentee ballotWEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich. – Officials are reminding residents that a representative from the West Bloomfield Clerk’s Office would never go to someone’s home and offer to deliver their ballot for them. READ: Voting by mail in Michigan for 2020 General Election: What to knowThe West Bloomfield Clerk’s Office posted on Facebook reporting that someone had posted to the social media platform Nextdoor and said that a representative from the clerk’s office would be going to people’s doors offering to return their ballot. The information posted to Nextdoor is false. Nobody from the clerk’s office will go to your door and offer to return your ballot to the office for you. The ballot envelope states who may be in possession of an absentee ballot.
Benson: Nearly 1 million have returned absentee ballots in Michigan
Read full article: Benson: Nearly 1 million have returned absentee ballots in MichiganNearly one million voters have returned absentee ballots in Michigan for the November election, according to the Secretary of State. Election Day is three weeks away, but early voting has been underway in Michigan since Sept. 24. According to the Michigan Secretary of State, nearly 1 million citizens have already returned absentee ballots, and more than 2.8 million have requested them. “Michigan citizens can be confident that all valid absentee ballots will be counted,” said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Those ballots could have correctable errors and clerks are alerting voters of their options.
Detroit city clerk, postmaster urge voters to trust ballot security process
Read full article: Detroit city clerk, postmaster urge voters to trust ballot security processDETROIT – On Friday, Detroit’s city clerk and postmaster discussed the process of how ballots already in the mail will be handled this year. “Every ballot will reach its intended destination,” said Detroit Postmaster, Darron Bray. “We will timely deliver all election mail, and we will do that definitely securely,” Bray said. Winfrey is urging voters to trust that everything will go smoothly on Election Day. Trust the process,” Winfrey said.
President Trump calls Michigan Supreme Court ruling ‘BIG win’
Read full article: President Trump calls Michigan Supreme Court ruling ‘BIG win’LANSING, Mich. – President Donald Trump went after Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Twitter Wednesday. Trump relished Michigan Supreme Court’s ruling to strike down Whitmer’s Emergency Orders. The president retweeted a post about the governor losing at the Michigan Supreme Court by calling it great news for the people of Michigan and also overstates auto company expansion. Since the ruling, counties and municipalities have issued their own orders reinstating most of Whitmer’s original orders for their jurisdictions. READ: List: Michigan counties issue emergency coronavirus orders after state Supreme Court ruling
Michigan Gov. Whitmer approves earlier processing of absentee ballots for November election
Read full article: Michigan Gov. Whitmer approves earlier processing of absentee ballots for November electionLANSING, Mich. – Clerks in Michigan cities or township of at least 25,000 people can start processing a surge of absentee ballots a day before November's presidential election under legislation signed by Gov. Election officials previously couldn't remove ballots from outer envelopes until 7 a.m. on Election Day, which this year is Nov. 3. The law also includes security requirements for newly installed boxes where voters can drop off absentee ballots instead of using the mail. Benson, a Democrat, urged people who plan to return their ballot by mail to do it no later than two weeks before Election Day due to potential postal delays. Benson cautioned that because absentee ballots cannot begin to be counted until 7 a.m. on Election Day, the count may not be final until three days after the election.
Trust Index: Fact-checking claims about absentee voting made during Trump-Biden debate
Read full article: Trust Index: Fact-checking claims about absentee voting made during Trump-Biden debateThe issue of absentee voting has become the hot button issue in the weeks leading up to the election. The President has been repeatedly critical of the process, despite voting absentee himself in Florida, and has worked to sew distrust with the processes of certain states, including Michigan. The President had more to test when it came to claims about absentee voting during Tuesday night’s first presidential debate, but we’ll start with this from Vice President Joe Biden. Biden does appear to confuse the director of homeland security with DHS’s cyber security director who said last month election integrity may actually improve with more absentee ballots. According to the findings of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, 1 percent of the absentee votes were deemed invalid.
Early voting in Michigan begins today
Read full article: Early voting in Michigan begins todayLANSING, Mich. – The 2020 Election is Nov. 3, but in Michigan you can cast your vote starting Thursday. Early and absentee voting is officially underway in Michigan. “We want you to wear your mask and bring your form of ID so you can cast your ballot,” Whitmer said. “Secretary Benson and Clerk Winfrey are working very closely to ensure that this election runs smoothly," Whitmer said. We want to ensure that Michigan voices get counted.”
Attention Michigan voters: Ballots mailed out today
Read full article: Attention Michigan voters: Ballots mailed out todayBy law, Michigan clerks must begin mailing requested absent voter ballots to voters 40 days before the election -- which is September 24. The state of Michigan mailed absentee voting applications to all registered Michigan voters in May for this year’s August and November elections. Inside of your official Michigan absent voter ballot envelope is a brightly-colored “secrecy sleeve” containing your ballot. Emergency Michigan absent voter ballots must still be returned to the voter’s local clerk’s office by the 8 p.m. deadline on Election Day. For more information about emergency absent voter ballots, Michigan voters are encouraged to contact their local clerk’s office directly.
Michigan voting by mail: How to make sure you fill out ballot correctly
Read full article: Michigan voting by mail: How to make sure you fill out ballot correctlyFilling out a Michigan absent voter ballot for the 2020 General ElectionOnce you receive your absent voter ballot in the mail, it simply needs to be filled out following the written instructions attached and returned before the deadline. Inside of your official Michigan absent voter ballot envelope is a brightly-colored “secrecy sleeve” containing your ballot. To return your absent voter ballot on time, you have two options:Return your absent voter ballot by mailYou can return your completed absent voter ballot by mailing it to your local clerk’s office. Postage will be required to return your Michigan absent voter ballot by mail. A Michigan voter hoping to spoil their previously-cast vote has two options to do so:Spoil your Michigan absent voter ballot by mailTo spoil your Michigan absent voter ballot by mail, you must send a letter to your local clerk’s office stating as such.
Ballot issue sparks war of words between President Trump, Jocelyn Benson
Read full article: Ballot issue sparks war of words between President Trump, Jocelyn BensonLANSING, Mich. – President Donald Trump went after Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on Twitter Thursday. In a Tweet, Trump called Benson a “Democrat Trump Hater" and said the mix up was intentional. (WDIV)The Board of Elections reached out to local clerks and told them to reprint the ballot and instruct the voter to ignore the first ballot. Any voters who may have received an incorrect ballot will receive a correct ballot and their vote will count. In the case that a voter returns both the incorrect and the corrected ballot, only the corrected ballot will be counted.”
400 ballots for Michigan military, overseas voters incorrectly labeled President Trump’s running mate
Read full article: 400 ballots for Michigan military, overseas voters incorrectly labeled President Trump’s running mateDETROIT – A glitch caused 400 ballots printed for military and overseas voters to have Jeremy Cohen listed as President Donald Trump’s running mate. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office said the glitch has since been dealt with. “There was a temporary error in the QVF data that had caused some ballots downloaded to display incorrect ballot information when clerks downloaded the QVF ballot sent to military and overseas voters,” said spokeswoman Tracy Wimmer. The Board of Elections reached out to local clerks and told them to reprint the ballot and instruct the voter to ignore the first ballot. According to Benson’s office, the misprinted ballots would still be counted if used in voting.
400 ballots printed for Michigan military, overseas voters incorrectly labeled President Trump's running mate
Read full article: 400 ballots printed for Michigan military, overseas voters incorrectly labeled President Trump's running mateIf you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. Copyright © 2020 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and pubished by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings.
Michigan Secretary of State, Detroit city clerk team up for upcoming November election
Read full article: Michigan Secretary of State, Detroit city clerk team up for upcoming November electionDETROIT The Michigan Secretary of States Office and the Detroit city clerk are teaming to make sure every vote counts for the upcoming November general election. Presidential elections always bring a lot of energy, said Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey. Winfrey said her office and Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson are working together to make sure every vote is counted. They are recruiting and training at least 6,000 election workers to make sure all 182 polling locations and 134 absentee counting boards are fully staffed. They will conduct physically distant in person training at Little Caesars Arena for new election workers to ensure election workers and staff are ready for Nov. 3.
Michigan judge boots challenge to mass mailing of ballot applications
Read full article: Michigan judge boots challenge to mass mailing of ballot applicationsLANSING, Mich. A Michigan judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit challenging the secretary of state's mailing of absentee ballot applications to millions of voters who did not request one, ruling that Jocelyn Benson had clear and broad authority to do so. State Court of Claim Judge Cynthia Stephens' decision had been signaled after she rejected a request for a preliminary injunction in June. Benson, a Democrat, in May began sending the applications to all voters who were not already on permanent absentee ballot lists for the August primary and November general elections, as a way to encourage absentee voting and dissuade in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic. Stephens said Benson's actions are not contrary to election law and noted that voters in 2018 approved a constitutional amendment letting people vote absentee for any reason. The Secretary of State, as chief election officer of this state, merely sent applications that will make it easier for voters to exercise that constitutional right, should they choose to do so, she wrote.
Postmaster General: USPS mail-delaying initiatives paused until after Nov. election
Read full article: Postmaster General: USPS mail-delaying initiatives paused until after Nov. electionPostal Service (USPS) initiatives that could impact the timely delivery of absent voter ballots for the November election are being paused until the election is complete. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a statement Tuesday that in an effort to avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail, the USPS will continue its services as normal through the end of the election cycle. Record numbers of absent voter ballots have been requested and issued in Michigan and across the country for this years elections. The Postal Service is ready today to handle whatever volume of election mail it receives this fall, DeJoy said Tuesday. More: Q&A: Whats happening at the US Postal Service, and why?
Michigan postal workers express concern about current working conditions
Read full article: Michigan postal workers express concern about current working conditionsTlaibs spoke in response to the recent statement from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy about concerns of current conditions inside post offices nationwide and worries about mail in ballots. DeJoy released a statement stating, The postal service is ready today to handle whatever volume of election mail it receives this fall.But the changes were already made. We stand before the United States Postal Service to say, heroes work here and we have your back, said Rep. Haley Stevens. People who work for the United States Postal Service have come to work, have put themselves at risk, in order to meet the commitment, said Rep. Dan Kildee. Several voters are concerned that the ballots wont be counted but Benson said theyre working to make sure that wont happen.
Why 10,000 absentee ballots were rejected in Michigan primary
Read full article: Why 10,000 absentee ballots were rejected in Michigan primaryMichigan’s Secretary of State says more than 10,000 absentee ballots were rejected for Michigan’s primary election on Aug. 4. While the large majority of ballots were approved and counted, the state says approximately 10,600 ballots were rejected. According to Benson, just over 2.5 million Michigan voters participated in the Aug. 4 primary election, surpassing the state’s previous record of 2.2 million in the Aug. 2018 Primary Election. The previous record for absentee ballots cast in a Michigan election was 1.3 million in the 2016 Presidential Election. More: Michigan sees record voter turnout, absentee voting in Aug. 2020 Primary Election
SOS urges Michigan lawmakers to allow absentee ballot counting before election day
Read full article: SOS urges Michigan lawmakers to allow absentee ballot counting before election dayLANSING, Mich. Michigans Secretary of State is urging lawmakers to allow absentee ballots to be counted before election day. With 2.5 million people voting absentee or in person Tuesday, the previous record of 2.2 million in 2018 was shattered. She said as it stands right now, clerks cant open and begin to count absentee ballots until election day. Almost 20 other states allow clerks to count absentee ballots as they roll in, but Michigan isnt one of them. More than 10,000 absentee ballots had to be rejected during Tuesdays primary because of postmarking errors.
Michigan Secretary of State addresses concerns ahead of primary election
Read full article: Michigan Secretary of State addresses concerns ahead of primary electionDETROIT Michigans Secretary of State said her team is ready for Tuesdays primary election, but she admitted there will be some challenges. The Michigan Primary Election is a major test as residents look forward to the general election in November. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said her team is prepared for the challenges ahead. Benson is hopeful Tuesdays primary will go according to plan. The numbers are huge and the work ahead for clerks and staff members will be difficult as counting gets underway.
Michigan Primary Election 2020: How to track your ballot
Read full article: Michigan Primary Election 2020: How to track your ballotAll rights reserved)The 2020 Michigan Primary Election is Aug. 4, but many have already voted by mail, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Michigan voters can still vote in person on Tuesday, Aug. 4, but the state expanded mail-in voting to help curb any potential spread of COVID-19 at in-person polling places. The Michigan Secretary of State reports a huge influx in mail-in voting, with a delay in results expected. ClickOnDetroit will compile Michigan election results. November 3, 2020: General election
COVID-19 creates spike in absentee ballot requests ahead of Michigan Primary Election
Read full article: COVID-19 creates spike in absentee ballot requests ahead of Michigan Primary ElectionDETROIT Tuesday is Michigan Primary Day, and more than 1 million people have already handed in their ballots. One reason is the sheer number of absentee voters. Mark Center was one of the many people handing in his absentee ballot in Downtown Royal Oak. While absentee ballots have been an option for years, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created the spike in requests. There were more than 2 million requests for absentee ballots for this primary, and 1.2 million have been returned so far.
Metro Detroit city clerk offices deal with absentee ballot confusion
Read full article: Metro Detroit city clerk offices deal with absentee ballot confusionROSEVILLE, Mich. – City clerks in Metro Detroit are dealing with absentee ballot confusion as the primary election approaches. The first issue is that the look of the ballot envelopes changed this year. Also, some political parties and special interest groups have sent out official looking applications in an attempt to get people to vote. They didn’t come from a clerk’s office. Paula Tutman has how clerks are handling all the confusion in the video above.
Why so many differences? Breaking down the ballot process in the U.S.
Read full article: Why so many differences? Breaking down the ballot process in the U.S.These are the types of voting ballots and equipment used throughout the country, according to Ballotpedia:• Optical Scan Paper Ballot Systems: Voters mark their votes by filling in an oval, box, or similar shape on a paper ballot. Paper ballots are later scanned either at the polling place or at a central location. • Ballot Marking Devices and Systems: These systems are designed to help disabled voters who might be unable to vote using other methods. Rather than recording the vote into the computer’s memory, the ballot is instead marked on paper and later tabulated manually. • Punch Card Voting Systems: These devices employ a paper card and a small clipboard device.