Election officials in mid-Michigan are working out a plan to implement new voting requirements under Proposal 2.
Voters passed Proposal 2 in November. It was designed to safeguard certain voting rights in Michigan’s constitution.
Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum says one of the biggest changes the proposal brings is the nine-day early voting period before state and federal elections.
“I expect the City of Lansing, with Ingham County, to implement Proposal 2 and have early voting for the August 2023, as well as the November 2023 elections,” she said.
The proposal requires polling places to be open for at least eight hours per day during the nine days before elections.
It also allows voters to be placed on a permanent absentee voter list if they want to. Voters previously had to request an absentee ballot before every election. Lansing City Clerk Chris Swope says that system is still being figured out.
“It's not totally clear how we create the list of people who will always get an absentee ballot automatically, compared to what we have had in the past,” he said.
The proposal will also fund absentee ballot drop boxes and continue to allow Michiganders to sign an affidavit if they are not able to provide a photo ID to vote.
Swope adds he’s working with legislators to figure out how they will fund absentee ballot postage for voters.