Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is calling on the Michigan Legislature to take steps to ensure November’s election goes smoothly as more people vote absentee. She says the state’s elections system is safe and secure ahead of a primary next week, noting her office has been able to implement automatic voter registration and online voter registration while informing all voters of the no-reason absentee option. However, Benson says state lawmakers need to pass laws allowing ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted, requiring clerks to contact voters if their mailed in ballot envelope signature does not match their signature on file, and enabling clerks to begin processing ballots cast through the mail prior to Election Day. She says everything that could be done to prepare for absentee voting next Tuesday has been done, but time is running out for the big election in November.
