A top Republican lawmaker on Wednesday came out in opposition to legislation that would ease Michigan election clerks’ ability to process an expected influx of absentee ballots, saying it would set a “dangerous precedent.”
Local officials want legislators to let them start opening return envelopes for absentee ballots the day before Election Day. The actual ballots would still stay inside secrecy envelopes until counting on Election Day.
As of last week, the number of absentee ballot applications was up by more than 60% for the March 10 presidential primary compared to 2016 following voters’ passage of a 2018 ballot initiative that allows people to vote absentee for any reason, according to Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office. While the bill was not expected to be approved in time for that contest, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey’s stance makes it unlikely that the proposed change will be enacted before the November presidential election.
Shirkey said he understands clerks’ concerns, but he wants to see how the current process works.