Michigan’s top election official says more than three million people have voted before Election Day. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says the number of absentee ballots cast this year has trippled compared to the last presidential election in November 2016.
Benson says 3.4 million absentee ballots were requested, and expects many will be returned today, alongside ballots cast at polling centers throughout the state. She says it could take a while to count them.
“It may take several days to tabulate securely and methodically and validate every one of these 3.1 million absentee ballots that we’ve got and the more that will come in today,” said Benson.
Benson says good weather conditions throughout Michigan should encourage Election Day turnout. She says her office has not received any complaints of voter intimidation.