GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — On Wednesday the Kent County clerk said her office has sent out around 150,000 absentee ballots in the county, with 54% having been returned so far.
County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons says this means they have seen 15% turnout 13 days before the election, and the county is on track to at least match the 70% voter turnout seen in the most recent presidential elections.
While many voters grow eager to cast their vote to decide on the nation's next president, Posthumus Lyons says there are many other positions and items on the ballot that bring their own importance.
"There are so many races and contests on your ballot all the way down from the state government, to the local government, to school boards that really impact you," said Posthumus Lyons, explaining the many local offices are what drives decision-making in voters' own neighborhoods.
"They can impact our pocketbook, they can impact how we use our land and things like that," said Posthumus Lyons. "It's not just these presidential and congressional races that make a difference. It's the races right at home that are important too."
In a general election, voters have the ability to vote straight ticket, meaning they cast their vote for members of their desired party in presidential, congressional and state legislature races.
Posthumus Lyons made clear, however, that choosing to vote straight ticket does not count for the non-partisan races, as voters will still need to cast their vote individually for these positions.
"A straight ticket vote does not count towards the non-partisan section, and that's where you're going to find a lot of your judges, your school board races, tax proposals, school proposals, things like that," said Posthumus Lyons, who adds voters who do choose to vote straight ticket can still cast votes for members of different political parties.
"Your straight ticket will count toward that party that you voted for all the way through the partisan section, with the exception of the race that you crossed over."
The County Clerk's Office says they have finished testing all election equipment and training for election inspectors, ready for early voting to begin on Saturday.
"We are ready, and I'm excited to give our voters the secure, transparent, fair, and accurate election they deserve," said Posthumus Lyons.
Voting information for Kent County can be found here.
