Michiganders, challengers, poll watchers head to early voting sites
Early voting is well underway with only days left before the general election on Nov. 3. According to the Michigan Secretary of State, almost 1.4 million Michiganders had cast their ballots as of Oct. 27.
Early in-person voting opened up statewide on Oct. 24 and ends the Sunday before Election Day. Some locations, like the Foster Community Center in Lansing and the Hannah Community Center in East Lansing, offer early in-person voting until Nov. 2.
Since opening on Oct. 24, poll workers at the Hannah Community Center have seen a steady stream of voters, either submitting their ballot or registering for the first time.
“We’ve been a little bit under 200 or a little bit over 200,” said Susan Godfrey, an East Lansing precinct chair who has worked elections since 2011.
Godfrey said more than a thousand people have voted at the location so far.
Along with Michiganders looking to cast their ballots, Godfrey said groups of election challengers have been at the site all week. “I have had some of them stay the whole day,” she said, “some of them stay half a day, and then someone comes in and relieves them.”
Challengers from Michigan’s Democratic and Republican parties, as well as the Promote The Vote Fund, were at the Hannah Community Center this week, Godfrey said.
The presence of election challengers and poll watchers at a polling site is a standard part of any election, though they play different roles. Challengers are appointed by a credentialed organization, usually a political party. Poll watchers are members of the public and are limited to simply observing the election process.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) notified seven Michigan municipalities earlier this month, including Lansing and East Lansing, that election monitors will be stationed at certain polling locations on Election Day. State officials have reassured voters that monitors will act according to state law, but have encouraged early voting nonetheless.
Godfrey said DOJ monitors will act as poll watchers. “East Lansing is really transparent with what we’re doing, and we are confident that we are following all the rules and regulations.”
At the Foster Community Center, just over 1,500 people voted early and in-person, according to Gabriel Byrd Johnson, a Lansing precinct chair.
In the community center’s parking lot, Robin Young and Emily Kress sat in lawn chairs. They are volunteers with the Ingham County Democratic Party, handing out voting guides.
“We are just encouraging people, talking to them if they want to know about the candidates,” Young said.
The voting guides listed all of the Democratic candidates on the ballot, but Young said the two were there to celebrate the process. “I think more than anything else, you need to make yourself an informed voter, because it’s a government for the people and by the people,” she said, “and by the people means getting involved.”
The Hannah Community Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Nov. 1, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 2 for early in-person voting.
The Foster Community Center is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Nov. 1, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 2 for early in-person voting.
Michiganders can check their early voting location on the Secretary of State’s website.
