On Sept. 26, the first day of absentee voting in Michigan, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced several nonpartisan voter information tools to ensure the state’s voters are confident and ready to cast their ballot in the upcoming General Election.
“More than 1.8 million voters have already requested their ballot, including 1.6 million voters who have opted to join the Permanent Absentee Ballot List,” Secretary Benson said. “I know that I, along with the 1,600 bipartisan professional clerks across our state, will continue to spend every minute that we can working to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat in our state. We will do that because it’s our honor, our duty, and because we know that the votes our citizens will cast in the next 40 days will define the future of our country. So today is a call to action – for every eligible Michigan citizen – to take the time to check your registration and choose the voting option that’s best for you.”
MI Vote Info Texting Tool
Secretary Benson announced a new nonpartisan voter information texting tool is now available. Voters can sign up by texting VOTE to 833-868-3009 to receive a one-time text with a link to these topics:
Absentee Ballot Tracking
In past elections, voters have been able to visit Michigan.gov/Vote to track their ballots. They now can register to receive those notifications directly to their email inbox. Voters can see exactly where their ballot is in the process at all times and learn exactly when it has been accepted for tabulation by their clerk. There are three ways to sign up – when registering to vote, when submitting an online absentee ballot application, or by visiting Michigan.gov/Vote and clicking on the signup link.
"It’s Sooo Simple" early voting campaign
The Michigan Department of State is going to be running a series of social, streaming, and static ads as a part of a new “It’s Sooo Simple” early voting campaign. The goal of the campaign is to increase awareness of the convenient options available to Michigan voters: vote absentee, or at an early voting site, or on Election Day. Many of the ads will feature the department’s “I Voted” winning sticker, the now-famous werewolf designed by Grosse Pointe student Jane Hynous.
WATCH: It’s Sooo Simple Campaign
Election Fact Center
Secretary Benson also relaunched the MDOS Election Fact Center – Michigan.gov/ElectionFacts– an official source of nonpartisan information on elections and voting in Michigan. The site includes facts about some of the most common questions or false claims about elections that the department has seen this year. To report election misinformation, email Misinformation@Michigan.gov with details, which will help MDOS keep the Election Fact Center updated and improve communication to voters.
Visit Michigan.gov/Vote for detailed information about the General Election including how to register, important deadlines, and to find your local early voting site.
