by:Dana Whyte
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — As of midday Tuesday, West Michigan voters were heading to the polls to make their voices heard during the August election...even during the coronavirus pandemic,
NEWS 8 noted that precinct workers are wearing masks and hand sanitizer is near the entrance. These are just a few of the changes that officials are implementing to keep people safe.
Voter Katheren Palmer told WOOD TV, “I came here first to try to avoid the people."
Palmer arrived when polls opened at 7 a.m., at LaGrave Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids to exercise her rights.
Precinct workers said this year polling locations are not as crowded, as many people are voting absentee due to the pandemic.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says more than 1.28 million absentee ballots have been cast this primary so far, breaking the record for the most absent-voter ballots ever cast in a state election.
MORE: WOODTV.COM