Turnout was low in Lansing’s primary election for mayor. Less than 15% of registered voters cast their ballots. That’s typical for a local election in August.
But of the people who voted for mayor, 76% cast absentee ballots. Four years ago, only 44% of votes for Lansing mayor were absentee.
City Clerk Chris Swope attributes the popularity in part to the coronavirus pandemic.
“That increases the propensity to want to vote from home and not go to a polling location where many people are coming and going," he said.
Though Swope expects the popularity of absentee voting will persist even once the pandemic is over. He says it’s convenient and gives people more time with their ballots to do research.
“Sometimes people who are voting in person get to the polling place, and there may be more candidates than they were even aware of for a specific office," Swope said.
The state expanded absentee voting options in 2018. Now, Michiganders can vote absentee without giving a specific reason for doing so.