(CBS DETROIT) – As Election Day draws closer voters in Detroit have new options to cast their ballots early. The Covid-19 pandemic is shaping changes at the ballot box and making them more accessible than ever before.
“This will be an election week because we know we’ll be counting numerous, record breaking number of absentee ballots,” said Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey.
The general election is 28 days away and over three million Michigan voters are requesting absentee ballots.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson made the announcement Monday before casting her ballot at the Northwest Activity Center in Detroit.
One of 23 new satellite polling centers now open for use.
“In addition to the 23 vote centers, which each has a drop box in front of it we have seven additional drop-boxes strategically placed throughout the city. Which means we have a total of 30 drop boxes. We are excited that you no longer have to wait until the third of November, a Tuesday in November to vote,” said Winfrey.
Winfrey says roughly 200,000 votes will be counted election night with the help of 10,000 poll workers, but critics worry that the numbers of mail-in, drop-box, and in-person votes will overwhelm clerks.
“In the city of Detroit every ballot that cast has always been counted. Recounted? Maybe not but counted initially absolutely so voters can rest assure that that will continue to happen. Will it be election day results? Probably not,” said Winfrey.
Votes will not be tallied until Nov. 3, but clerks can start the process of removing security sleeves from ballots 10 hours before election day.
Here’s a list of Detroit satellite voting center locations:
Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 9 a.m.to 2 p.m. on the weekends
Here are free-standing ballot drop box locations:
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