Michigan’s voter transportation ban upheld by federal appeals panel | Beth LeBlanc/The Detroit Times

A federal appeals court panel has upheld Michigan's ban on transporting voters to the polls, overturning a Detroit federal district judge in the latest decision from a suit filed last year by a Democratic group seeking to invalidate the law. The voter-transportation law, which was challenged by the Priorities USA super political action committee, bans hiring transportation for a voter who is otherwise physically capable of walking. A violation is a misdemeanor in Michigan and punishable by up to 90 days in jail or a $500 fine.Michigan law also bans third parties from helping to deliver ballot applications unless the person is "affirmatively" asked to provide assistance.

Michigan: After botching past elections, Detroit aims to avoid a ‘black eye’ in November | Erin Einhorn/NBC

The workers had signed in. They’d had their temperatures screened. They’d filled out paperwork, and they were waiting for their training to begin when Daniel Baxter strode to the center of the room, grabbed a microphone and launched into a speech that, at times, seemed more suited to the pulpit where he preaches on Sundays than the convention center basement where he trains election workers. “Say, ‘There’s healing power!’” Baxter called to the trainees, his booming voice echoing through the cavernous exhibit hall where 75 workers sat, spaced apart, around large, rectangular tables. “C’mon, say it again,” he said when the group’s response was less than enthusiastic. “Say, 'There's healing power in troubled waters. There's healing power in troubled waters," the group repeated. Baxter, 55, a former elections director for Detroit who has been enlisted by the city to help with next month’s presidential election, didn't spell out exactly what he meant by troubled waters. He didn’t need to. Many of the people attending that Wednesday morning training last week, sitting in the very seats where they’ll be processing absentee ballots on Election Day, had signed up for this job precisely because they knew about the problems that have dogged Detroit elections in the past.

Michigan appeals court reinstates Election Day mail-in ballot deadline as early voting surge continues | Elise Viebeck, John M. Glionna and Douglas Moser/The Washington Post

A state appeals court in Michigan moved up the deadline for voters to return mail-in ballots, reimposing a cutoff favored by Republicans during a continuing surge in early and mail-in voting around the country.With a little over two weeks until the election, a panel from the Michigan Court of Appeals on Friday reversed a lower court’s ruling that said ballots could be counted if they were postmarked before Election Day and received within 14 days. The extension would have made Michigan’s deadline one of the most generous in the country. Voters in the state now must return their mail-in ballots by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.The decision — and the plaintiffs’ plans to appeal — arrived amid further signs of record turnout in mail-in and early voting this year, continuing a trajectory that could lead to a majority of votes being cast before Election Day for the first time in U.S. history.

Michigan: GOP intransigence in Michigan could lead to a chaotic presidential election | Jon Ward/Yahoo News

A top Michigan official warned on Wednesday that, unless the Republican-controlled state Legislature passes a law to speed up the reporting of election results, it would be responsible for a chaotic and destabilizing election this fall. “Continued inaction by lawmakers, when we need their support and partnership now more than ever, will equate to a dereliction of duty,” Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said on a conference call with reporters. Benson, a Democrat, is the state’s top election official. She wants current laws changed in order to allow vote counters to be able to open mail-in and absentee ballots at least one day before Election Day. Benson said that if clerks are not enabled to start arranging the ballots for counting before Election Day, this will increase delays in reporting the results. For one thing, she said, “every single one of [the election officials] is already going to be dealing with several other issues” on the day of the election. “That will create a space to enable bad actors to falsely raise questions about the sanctity and security of our elections. That reality has implications not just for our voters but for the entire country,” she said.

Michigan: Trump repeats false voter fraud claims as millions in Michigan request absentee ballots | Dave Boucher/Detroit Free Press

It's possible, if not likely, more Michiganders will vote by mail than in person this year. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced that more than 1.8 million absentee ballots have been requested and 600,000 already have been completed and returned ahead of the Aug. 4 primary. If that trend holds for the Nov. 3 general election, that means the millions of absentee ballots may make the difference in a presidential race decided in the state by the slightest of margins in 2016. Yet President Donald Trump repeated his unsubstantiated attacks on mail-in voting in a tweet Tuesday, alleging the practice may lead to a "rigged election." "Mail-In Voting, unless changed by the courts, will lead to the most CORRUPT ELECTION in our Nation’s History! #RIGGEDELECTION," the president stated in the tweet. Chris Gustafson, a Trump campaign spokesman in Michigan, did not directly address questions about the president's tweet. But he said the GOP does not oppose mail-in voting. "Republicans have always supported absentee voting with safeguards in place. What we oppose is a nationwide experiment that would eliminate those safeguards, invite fraud, and weaken the integrity of our elections," Gustafson said in an emailed statement Tuesday.

Michigan: Court denies Michigan absentee ballots that come after election | David Eggert/Associated Press

The Michigan appeals court denied a request to require the counting of absentee ballots received after the time polls close on Election Day, ruling that the battleground state's deadline remains intact despite voters' approval of a constitutional amendment that expanded mail-in voting. The court, in a 2-1 decision released Wednesday, said it is up to lawmakers to change the deadline that has been in place for at least 91 years. The League of Women Voters of Michigan and three voters sued in May, seeking a declaration that absentee ballots be counted as long as they are mailed on or before Election Day and are received within six days of the election. The plaintiffs, who will appeal to the state Supreme Court, pointed to voters' new constitutional rights to cast an absentee ballot without giving a reason 40 days before an election and to do it in person or by mail. They also noted fears of visiting polling places during the coronavirus pandemic. “We follow the view that courts should typically defer to the Legislature in making policy decisions,” Judge David Sawyer wrote, adding that organizers of the ballot drive did not include a deadline in the initiative.

Michigan: State issues more than 1 million absentee ballots, sees surge in voter registration | Todd Spangler/Detroit Free Press

Amid ongoing uncertainties about coronavirus and with the Aug. 4 primary approaching, Michigan is seeing a surge in new voter registrations and requests for absentee ballots. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's office provided data Wednesday showing that local clerks across Michigan have received a total of more than 1.3 million requests for absentee ballots. The data shared with the Free Press also indicated more than a million absentee ballots have already been sent out. That's about 3½ times the number of applications received and ballots issued ahead of the August primary in the last presidential election cycle in 2016. In May, Benson announced that because of fears that crowded polling places could lead to the spread of coronavirus, she would work with local clerks to ensure that all of Michigan's 7.7 million registered voters received absentee ballot applications.

Michigan: Blind voters say Secretary of State Benson broke voting promise | Paul Egan/Detroit Free Press

Blind voters in Michigan are asking a federal judge to find Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in contempt, saying she failed to live up to an agreement to implement a system for them to vote absentee in the August primary. Blind voters Michael Powell and Fred Wutzel, along with the National Federation of the Blind in Michigan, sued Benson in April, alleging that with COVID-19 making it dangerous for blind voters to go to the polls — where they can use special equipment to vote privately and independently — the state's absentee voting system is unworkable for the blind. But on May 1, the parties in the case agreed to a consent order. That agreement required the state to introduce a Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail system for the Aug. 4 primary, allowing blind voters to cast an absentee ballot privately and independently, just as other voters can. Under the system, blind voters could easily request and receive an accessible ballot online and read it and fill it out with existing screen reading technology, said Jason Turkish, the Southfield attorney representing the plaintiffs.

Michigan: Judge won’t immediately stop Benson’s mailing of ballot applications | Beth LeBlanc/The Detroit News

A Michigan Court of Claims judge denied a request Thursday to halt Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's mailing of absentee ballot applications to all registered voters ahead of August primary and November general elections. Nevin Cooper-Keel, Yvonne Black and serial litigant Robert Davis argued Benson was barred from sending the applications by state law and court precedent prohibiting elected officials from mailing unsolicited absentee ballot applications. But Judge Cynthia Stephens argued those rules don't reflect the loosened voting restrictions enacted under a voting rights initiative approved by voters in 2018. And those cases, Stephen said, only spoke to "local elections officials," not the secretary of state. "...there is some support for the notion that she possesses superior authority as compared to local election officials," wrote Stephens, an appointee of Democratic former Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

Michigan: Secretary Of State Benson Comments On Risk Limiting Audit | Keweenaw Report

After the presidential primary election in March, a Risk Limiting Audit was performed, and the results have suggested that Michigan is ready for the August and November elections. Of Michigan’s 83 counties, 80 participated in the audit, and the results reinforced the accuracy and security of the results. The audit, the largest of its kind in the nation, was part of Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Michiganders ability to vote. Benson had this to say. “The overwhelming participation from county and local clerks in this audit underscores the hard work they do to safeguard our elections, and their dedication to public service.” Throughout the state, 669 random ballots were selected in the audit, and they mirrored official election results within one percentage point for the leading candidates in each primary, suggesting had an actual audit been conducted, the outcome of the election would remain unchanged.

Michigan: Absentee voting push won’t cause mass election fraud, election experts say | Malachi Barrett/MLive

A push to promote absentee voting as a safer alternative during the coronavirus pandemic is not expected to produce widespread fraud, according to election experts, despite President Donald Trump’s recent attacks on mail-in voting in Michigan and other states. Concerns about the potential for COVID-19 to spread through polling places in the August and November elections motivated Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to mail every registered voter an application to obtain an absentee ballot. The president quickly condemned the decision in a series of statements linking no-reason absentee voting to partisan election interference, claims that are considered misleading and possibly harmful by election clerks and researchers in Michigan. Testifying before Congres Wednesday, Benson said there is little evidence of election fraud in Michigan, but “in the rare times it does occur, we catch it and we prosecute it.” Benson, a Democrat, said she anticipates more politicalized attempts to confuse voters about the process of absentee voting and cause residents to “doubt the sanctity of our elections and question the accuracy of the results.” The secretary of state said attempts to misinform Michigan voters about their right to vote by mail are “antithetical to our democracy.”

Michigan: Secretary of State wants $40M from feds to hold election during COVID-19 | Beth LeBlanc/The Detroit News

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson told federal lawmakers Wednesday that the $11.2 million in CARES Act Funding appropriated to Michigan for election challenges posed by the coronavirus is not enough. Benson told the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary that she still needs roughly $40 million more to adjust election procedures in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Democracy can and will survive this pandemic, but we need your ongoing help," the Detroit Democrat said. The testimony comes nearly two weeks after President Donald Trump threatened Michigan funding over Benson's decision to mail absentee ballot applications to qualified Michigan voters ahead of the August and November elections. The state already allows voters to cast ballots by mail for any reason. Benson announced Tuesday that she will mail all of Michigan's 7.7 million voters an absentee voter application, an effort first employed in the May 5 election to curb in-person voting amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Michigan: With Trump threatening Michigan, lawsuit filed to expand rights of absentee voters | Todd Spangler/Detroit Free Press

Michigan's statutory requirement that all absentee ballots be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted is being challenged in court. The League of Women Voters, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and former state Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer, filed the lawsuit Friday in the Court of Appeals against Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in her official capacity as Michigan's top elections official. It claims that a law in place since at least 1929 in Michigan that requires absentee ballots be received by a local clerk's office by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted runs counter to what the lawsuit says is an "unqualified, unconditional state constitutional right for registered voters to vote in all elections by absentee ballot." In 2018, no-reason absentee voting passed by state referendum, giving voters the right to cast absentee ballots by mail or in person beginning 40 days before an election. Since regular mail can often take days, the lawsuit says the old rule conflicts with the intention of the state referendum to expand absentee voting.

Michigan: Trump misstates Michigan mail-in ballot policy, threatens federal funding | Zach Montellaro and Quint Forgey/Politico

President Donald Trump mischaracterized Michigan’s absentee ballot policies on Wednesday while threatening federal funding to the state if election officials there do not retreat from measures meant to facilitate mail-in voting. The ultimatum from the White House, which Trump tried to downplay later in the day, comes as Michigan, a state crucial to Trump’s reelection chances, combats the fallout from a particularly severe coronavirus outbreak. “Breaking: Michigan sends absentee ballots to 7.7 million people ahead of Primaries and the General Election,” Trump tweeted. “This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State. I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!” He then followed up with another message mentioning the official Twitter accounts for acting White House budget director Russ Vought, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and the Treasury Department. Hours later, the president deleted his original tweet and re-sent a similar tweet that said "absentee ballot applications" without noting his original mistake. The president’s tweets inaccurately described a recent policy change in Michigan, where Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, announced Tuesday that all of the state’s registered voters would be mailed absentee ballot applications for the August down-ballot primaries and November general election — not a ballot directly.

Michigan: Trump attacks Michigan Secretary of State with false claim; Benson quickly responds | By Matt Durr/MLive

President Donald Trump has again attacked Michigan leadership via his Twitter account. This time Trump went after Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, alleging she’s sent absentee ballots to 7.7 million voters in Michigan ahead of the August primaries. In a now deleted tweet, Trump called Benson a “rogue Secretary of State” and threatened to withhold funding to the state for attempted voter fraud. “Breaking: Michigan sends absentee ballots to 7.7 million people ahead of Primaries and the General Election. This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State. I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!..” read Trump’s original tweet. The problem with Trump’s message is that Benson did not send ballots to voters. On Tuesday, Benson announced all voters in the state will receive applications to vote from home ahead of the August primary and general election in November. Benson said the option is available to Michiganders as part of efforts to protect the safety of voters and election workers during the coronavirus crisis. Shortly after Trump sent his tweet Wednesday morning, Benson corrected the president and pointed out that similar efforts have been made in other states.

Michigan: Can Michigan Mail Absentee Forms? Yes. Can Trump Withhold Funds? Unlikely. | Linda Qiu and Nick Corasaniti/The New York Times

President Trump on Wednesday made false accusations about mail-in voting in Michigan and Nevada, continuing his unfounded attacks on absentee balloting. He initially mischaracterized the Michigan secretary of state’s actions to expand voting by mail during the coronavirus pandemic, falsely claimed such actions were illegal, and repeated his false assertion that there is rampant fraud in mail balloting. He also threatened to withhold money from the states — which itself may be unconstitutional or illegal. Here’s an assessment of his claims. Is Michigan mailing absentee ballots to 7.7 million voters? No. Mr. Trump’s first tweet on the issue, on Wednesday morning, inaccurately said that absentee ballots were being mailed to 7.7 million people. But Michigan’s secretary of state, Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, is sending out applications for absentee ballots for the August primary and the November general election. To receive an actual mail-in ballot, a voter would have to fill out the application form and mail it to a local election office to be verified.

Michigan: All voters to get absentee ballot applications in mail | Todd Spangler/Detroit Free Press

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said Tuesday all of Michigan's 7.7 million registered voters will be mailed absentee ballot applications so they can take part in elections in August and November without the risk of in-person voting if they choose to do so. Benson, in a move likely to anger some Republicans and potentially lead to a court battle, said the threat posed by the spread of coronavirus, which has already killed 4,915 Michiganders since March but has been on the decline in recent weeks, is still too great to consider having people go en masse to the polls to vote in the Aug. 4 and Nov. 3 elections. Benson is a Democrat. “By mailing applications we have ensured that no Michigander has to choose between their health and their right to vote,” Benson said. She noted that in 50 local elections held across the state on May 5, turnout was up significantly from other years and that the vast majority of voters cast absentee ballots by mail or through a drop box. “We know from the elections that took place this month that during the pandemic Michiganders want to safely vote," she said.

Michigan: Blind voters use electronic absentee ballots for first time | Grant Herme/ClickOn Detroit

Blind voters and advocates celebrated this week after Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson was forced to allow the use of electronic absentee voting normally reserved for men and women overseas. The technology allowed many blind voters to cast their ballots independent of help for the first time. The process is simple. The ballot appears on the screen and a person who is blind can have it read to them like any other text through a text-to-speech program. It can also be run through a braille system for the deaf-blind. After a ballot is filled out it’s print, sign and send. Michael Powell, with the Michigan chapter of the National Federation for the Blind, is one of the men suing the state for wider use of the electronic system on behalf of blind voters. “Why should they risk going to a polling location and, and especially if they go to one and they find they can't use it because the people don't know how to use the machine or if there's some kind of issue, and they've risked their lives for nothing,” Powell said.

Michigan: Absentee ballots account for 98% of tabulated votes in Michigan elections Tuesday | Associated Press

Michigan communities saw record turnout for local elections Tuesday, as voters participated in largely mail-based contests that could be a blueprint for the presidential battleground in November. In a first, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office automatically sent absentee ballot applications to all 740,000 registered voters in roughly 50 municipalities — about 10% of the electorate — to discourage in-person voting in a state where nearly 4,200 people have died from coronavirus complications. Turnout was projected to be at least 22%, nearly double the average for May elections. Voters decided school tax, bonding and other proposals. “People want to vote and weigh in on critical issues in their communities. ... Even in crisis, democracy is essential,” Benson, a Democrat, said. Each jurisdiction had at least one place for in-person voting, though only about 850 people had done so as of late afternoon. Absentee ballots — roughly 180,000 had been returned by 6:30 p.m. — accounted for 98% of the vote.

Michigan: Senate bill would establish universal, vote-by-mail system | Virgina Gordon/Michigan Radio

All voting would be done by absentee ballot under a bill introduced Wednesday by State Senator Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor). The bill would end in-person voting at polling places. Under the bill, registered voters would return their ballots by mail or drop them off at designated, local sites. "My bill proposes using the system already in place for absentee ballots to provide that opportunity for citizens to vote through the mail," said Irwin. "And clerk's offices would be open on election day for individuals who want to make use of same day registration or, if they're disabled voters, who need particular accomodations or if people just want to drop their ballot off in person because they don't want to put it in the mail." Irwin says the legislation would increase voter turnout and save millions in election administrative costs. Irwin said fewer election workers, less voting equipment, and fewer polling locations would save money, some of which could be invested in additional election security and auditing.

Michigan: Absentee returns up ahead of COVID-19-curbed elections | Beth LeBlanc/The Detroit News

Participation in Tuesday’s election is up from past Michigan May elections, according to absentee ballot returns in several cities. The increased absentee ballot returns ahead of the Tuesday election, which is being conducted largely through mail, occurs as the state continues to grapple with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Municipalities in 34 counties will hold elections Tuesday for school millage proposals or small local elections. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, following an executive order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, mailed absentee ballot applications last month to every registered voter in those communities, likely increasing participation this year, clerks said. Whitmer’s March 27 executive order also required clerks to condense voting precincts into one that could be used by voters who needed assistance voting or were unable to do so by mail. Clerks are planning to implement safety protocols to ensure voters keep appropriate distances at the polling location. “The fewer people we have lining up at polling places the better, ensuring Michiganders safely practice social distancing while allowing them to safely exercise their right to vote in local elections,” Whitmer said in a statement.

Michigan: Interim deal reached in election lawsuit by blind voters | Associated Press

Michigan election officials have agreed to allow blind voters to use software to complete an absentee ballot in local elections Tuesday. The deal filed in federal court Friday is a temporary fix in an ongoing lawsuit. Blind voters will have an opportunity to request an absentee ballot typically reserved for military personnel or citizens who are out of the country. The ballots can be completed using electronic reader software, the Secretary of State office said. The ballots still must be delivered to a local election clerk by Tuesday night. They can also be picked up or mailed. They’ll count if postmarked by Tuesday.

Michigan: Blind voters sue State for not making absentee ballots accessible during coronavirus | Taylor DesOrmeau/MLive

Absentee ballots aren't an option for blind Michigan voters who want to vote on their own. And during the coronavirus pandemic – when state officials are encouraging people to stay home and vote absentee instead of congregating at the polls – that's dangerous, said Jason Turkish, managing partner at Nyman Turkish PC. The firm is suing Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Director of Elections Jonathan Brater for failing to provide alternatives for blind people to vote absentee. The lawsuit requests a judge to require Michigan to implement an accessible absentee voting alternative by the May 5 election. The federal lawsuit was filed over the weekend, on behalf of blind Michiganders Michael Powell and Fred Wurtzel, the current and former president of the Michigan Affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind.

Michigan: May 5 elections are still on, but some want them postponed due to coronavirus concerns | Lauren Gibb/mlive

With COVID-19 continuing to spread in Michigan, voters are being encouraged to cast their ballots absentee in upcoming May elections - but some are calling for them to be postponed entirely out of concern for election worker safety. Local jurisdictions in 55 counties had May 5 elections scheduled before the coronavirus pandemic hit Michigan, most of which were for school and local government millages or bond proposals. Locals were given the option to reschedule any May ballot measures to the Aug. 4 election under a recent executive order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and many took up the offer. In Washtenaw County, all three May ballot proposals were postponed, and a Jackson Public Schools millage was also bumped to August. Other ballot measures will move forward as scheduled, including a school millage put forward by the Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency.

Michigan: Swing state status could put Michigan at risk for Russian election interference | Paul Egan/Detroit Free Press

With the March 10 primary one week away and Michigan seen as a battleground state in November, voters and election officials should be on guard for Russian and other foreign interference, experts say. Threats range, they say, from false information posted online about when and how to vote, to "fake news" Facebook posts intended to increase division and reduce voter turnout, to actual attacks on voter databases and other election-related infrastructure. But they say, residents should be mindful that one of our greatest vulnerabilities is ourselves. Ben Nimmo, an international internet sleuth whose work helped Facebook and other social media platforms ban thousands of accounts that spread disinformation during the 2016 election campaign, said it is the hyperpolarized nature of the U.S. political scene that makes the country more vulnerable to disinformation campaigns, which are increasingly difficult to detect. "Disinformation operations tend to target anger and fear," said Nimmo, who is based in Scotland as director of investigations for the social network analysis firm Graphika. "If you see a post on social media that makes you angry or afraid, take a step back and ask, 'Why is someone trying to manipulate me?' "

Michigan: GOP leader opposes bill to process surge of absentee ballots | David Eggert/Associated Press

A top Republican lawmaker on Wednesday came out in opposition to legislation that would ease Michigan election clerks' ability to process an expected surge of absentee ballots and avoid a delay in releasing results, saying it would set a "dangerous precedent." Local officials want legislators to let them start opening return envelopes for absentee ballots the day before Election Day. The actual ballots would still stay inside secrecy envelopes until counting on Election Day. As of Tuesday, the number of absentee ballot applications was at 703,400 for the March 10 presidential primary, up 70.5% from 412,425 at the same pointin 2016. The figures have jumped since voters approved a ballot initiative in 2018 that allows people to vote absentee for any reason, according to Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's office. The number of returned ballots was at 245,874 three weeks before the primary, up 48% from 165,947 four years ago. While the bill was not expected to be approved in time for the primary, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey's stance means the proposed change may not be enacted before the November presidential election in a key battleground presidential state.

Michigan: Audit pings state bureau of elections on voter file, training, campaign finance oversight | Beth LeBlanc and Craig Mauger/The Detroit News

Michigan’s Bureau of Elections failed to properly safeguard the state’s file of 7.5 million qualified voters, a discrepancy that allowed an unauthorized user to access the file and increased the risk of an ineligible elector voting in Michigan, according to a recent report from the Office of Auditor General. Elections officials lack proper training in more than 14% of counties, cities and townships, the audit also found. And the bureau did not make timely reviews for campaign statements, lobby reports and campaign finance complaints. The audit conducted between Oct. 1, 2016, and April 30, 2019, found in the qualified voter file “230 registered electors who had an age that was greater than 122 years, the oldest officially documented person to ever live,” according to the Friday report. The report came 2 1/2 months before the state's March 10 presidential primary and a little over 10 months before Michigan voters cast ballots in the November general election. The reviewed information fell largely under the tenure of Republican former Secretary of State Ruth Johnson. Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson took office Jan. 1.

Michigan: Absentee voting surges in Michigan, creating challenges for local clerks | Kathleen Gray/Detroit Free Press

With absentee voting skyrocketing since voters approved a ballot proposal  last year allowing for its expansion, clerks across the state are worrying about counting ballots next year, when a record turnout is expected for the presidential race. Some clerks and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson are calling on the state to allow election officials to be able to open and prepare absentee ballots for counting — and maybe even begin tabulating — votes before Election Day. Opponents worry that early processing and counting could lead to more voter fraud because ballots could be less secure until they're ready to be counted. They're also concerned that results could leak out and have a chilling effect on voters who haven't cast ballots yet. In the August primary and November general election, when city leadership races and police and parks millages were at stake, absentee voting in some communities was as high as 82%. Hot races drew a record number of absentee voters:

Michigan: Active duty military serving overseas could vote electronically under Michigan Senate-passed bill | Lauren Gibbons/MLive

Active duty members of the military serving overseas could send in their absentee ballots electronically under legislation passed in the Michigan Senate Wednesday. Senate Bills 117 and 297, sponsored by Senate Elections Chair Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, and Sen. Paul Wojno, D-Warren, would allow electronic absentee ballot returns for military voters serving overseas. The voter would sign their absentee ballot with an electronic signature verified by the U.S. Department of Defense. Under federal law, states are required to provide electronic absentee ballots to active members of the military 45 days before an election. But because Michigan doesn’t allow electronic absentee ballots, military voters serving overseas currently have to print out the ballot and mail it back - an extra step that can be difficult for people serving in areas with little to no mail service.

Michigan: State officials move to secure voting systems ahead of 2020 elections | Quinn Klinefelter/Michigan Radio

Michigan is taking steps to secure the state’s voting systems from potential cyberattacks during the 2020 elections. Federal officials warn that hackers are targeting the upcoming elections — plotting everything from obtaining voter information to spreading disinformation by planting stories online that ballots had been changed. To help combat that, Michigan has hired its first-ever election security specialist. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says it’s just one in a series of moves designed to safeguard the sanctity of the voting booth. "Well, we are far better than other states in that we have optical scan machines. So we have hand-marked paper ballots and our machines, for the most part, are not connected to the Internet or transmitting over the Internet,” says Benson.