by: WOODTV.com staff
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — With the general election just 28 days away, on Tuesday Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law legislation meant to ease the burden of counting a likely historic number of absentee ballots.
Governor Whitmer noted that one part of the measure allows local clerks in some areas to start preparing absentee ballots for counting for 10 hours the day before Election Day. Ballots still may not be tabulated until 7 a.m. on Election Day. The bill also allows for a second shift for absentee vote counting boards.
Whitmer said another key part of the new law instructs clerks to reach out to voters about problems with absentee ballot signatures. If a ballot is missing a signature or the signature does not match election records, it will be rejected. Under the new law, clerks must tell the voter when that happens and give them a chance to fix the problem.
During a Tuesday afternoon press conference before signing the bill, Whitmer noted, “Giving voters the chance to solve problems with their absentee ballot is essential and critical to ensuring that every voter can exercise their constitutional right to vote absentee and to make sure that their vote counts.”
Both Gov. Whitmer and Secretary of State Benson, each Democrats, offered praise for the Republican-led Legislature for passing the bill, saying more time is needed to prepare absentee ballots for counting.
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