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Kent County Clerk: Absentee ballots set to outpace 2016 general election

Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons launched a voter outreach campaign Tuesday to assist voters just weeks ahead of Election Day.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Four weeks out from Election Day, Kent County's clerk says nearly 40,000 absentee ballots have been returned. 

Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons said as of Tuesday morning 173,302 absentee ballots had been requested, as she launched a voter outreach campaign 28 days ahead of the general election. 

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Kent County Votes provides a centralized place on the county's website to find absentee voter ballot application, drop box and polling locations, information on candidates and proposals and an election calendar. Posthumus Lyons said the campaign will also involve virtual town halls with election officials. 

She said it will take time to process the influx of absentee ballots. During the August primary, 70% of Kent County voters voted absentee and results were reported by 5:30 a.m. Wednesday.  

"My office expects a huge influx of absentee ballots this year, and that means it is going to take longer to count and process those ballots," she said during a virtual press conference Tuesday. "County election officials or local clerks and our election workers will work as as quickly as possible to complete accurate election results. However, we are not going to sacrifice security and accuracy for speed. So please be patient."

She attributes the increase in absentee ballot requests to the COVID-19 pandemic and a 2018 constitutional amendment.

Proposal 3 made several changes to the state's election law, including allowing voters to register and vote on the day on an election; to automatically register to vote when applying for, updating or renewing a driver's license or state-issued personal identification card; to cast a straight-ticket vote in a general election; and to request absentee ballots without giving a reason.

Statewide, more than 2.6 million people have already requested absentee ballots, according to the Michigan Secretary of State's Office.

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