Thousands of Lansing voters will soon receive absentee ballots in the mail for November’s election.
Volunteers are processing more than 12,500 applications for ballots that will be sent out Thursday.
In Lansing's primary election in August of 2021, nearly 76% of the people who cast ballots in the mayor's race did so absentee.
Swope hopes that trend continues during the general election.
“In this pandemic, it's a lot safer," Swope said. "You're not exposing yourself [at the polls] on Election Day where there could be, you know, dozens of or more people gathering."
Earlier this month, Swope’s office mailed absentee ballot applications to all of Lansing’s registered voters who are believed to have an accurate address on file.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 2 for those who prefer to vote in person. In Lansing, the mayor's office and four City Council seats are up for grabs.
Tips for filling out an absentee ballot
- Fill in the bubble next to each candidate using pencil or dark-colored ink. Do not use red ink.
- Don't forget to sign your ballot envelope. The signature must be a close enough match to your signature in Michigan's Qualified Voter File.
- Turn in your ballot via mail, drop box or at a clerk's office by 8 p.m. on Election Day
- Use Michigan's Voter Information Center to check whether your ballot has been received