Polls are now open for voters in East Lansing.
The city opened its first ever in-person early voting center Monday morning at the East Lansing Public Library. Residents can stop by the library during most business hours to cast their ballots ahead of next week’s general election.
East Lansing is one of a handful of communities in Michigan that are taking a test run of the process after voters approved an early voting proposal last year. All statewide and federal elections will allow for early voting next year beginning with the presidential primary.
Mayor Ron Bacon said he hopes the center will give students and other residents more flexibility to vote.
“This will allow people a little more runway and hopefully they'll take advantage of it," Bacon said. "This is a smaller election. But this allows us to work out the bugs and the kinks early on, so we're ready to go when the when the big one happens here.”
East Lansing voters can weigh in on the race for three city council seats during this election, as well as three ballot initiatives. The proposals include measures to change the council's swearing-in date, expand the group from five to seven members and take steps towards implementing ranked-choice voting.
East Lansing State Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou and the mayor were the first to cast their ballots at the center.
Tsernoglou said expanding options to vote has been a top priority in the legislature, includes additional absentee voting drop boxes.
“We have so much that will be happening that really, really greatly increases everyone's access to voting statewide,” she said.
East Lansing’s center will be open through this Saturday. Residents in Lansing, Windsor Township, Delta Township, and other locations across the state can also take advantage of early voting.