Facing a record number of absentee ballots, Michigan election officials are urging voters to remain confident in the integrity of the election.
Editors Note: A judge on Tuesday blocked Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's ban on the open carry of guns at polling places on Election Day.
The Michigan Secretary of State’s office says as of Tuesday, more than 3 million people have requested absentee ballots and more than 2 million have already returned them.
With so many to process, ballot counting is likely to continue through the Friday after Election Day.
Secretary of State spokesman Jake Rollow says the state also expects misinformation campaigns to continue as the votes are tallied.
“And so our plan is to call that out; to share accurate information,” says Rollow. “The best way to counter misinformation is to go vote and the best way to get accurate information is to turn to trusted sources.”
Rollow says the state will monitor and report misinformation that’s spread over social media.
He says the Michigan Attorney General’s office is also prepared to investigate and prosecute if necessary.
The state is also watching for any acts of voter intimidation.
Earlier this month, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson ordered a ban on open-carry firearms at polling sites.
Rollow says either local departments or the Michigan State Police will be in place to enforce the ban, depending on location.
Rollow acknowledges intimidation could take many forms.
“And so what a voter should do is they should report it to an election worker immediately,” he says. “The election official can determine what should be done, whether that means speaking with the alleged offender or if they think the best route is to call law enforcement, the election official will make that call.”
Voters can learn more about election security and report misinformation here.
