GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — For some voters in Michigan, Election Day came early by choice as millions took part in early voting.
This is the first time voters had the option to vote early during a presidential election, after a state-wide mandate on early voting passed in 2022.
“Voter’s enthusiasm for early voting was really above and beyond anything we expected throughout the week,” said Michigan Secretary of State of Jocelyn Benson.
Benson held a press conference Monday, detailing the number of how many people voted early this year.
“Between mail-in ballots and in-person early votes, nearly 3.2 million Michiganders have already participated so far in this election. Since last Saturday, October 26, all around Michigan, over 1.2 million voters came out and voted at an early voting center,” said Benson.
She says those number total about 44% of registered voters that have already voted.
Kent County is above that average, at more than 47%.
In Grand Rapids, 39% of registered voters have already voted.
Women make up 55% of those who have voted so far, and older Michiganders make up half the votes already cast.
But Benson says the state is also seeing strides in young people voting early.
"Two days before Election Day in 2020, about 12% of people who had voted by mail were between 18 and 30 years old. As of polls closing last night, 12.5% of the total votes cast thus far came from 18- to 20- to 18- to 30-year-olds, and more than 17% of those who took advantage of in person early voting were between the ages of 18 and 30 years old,” said Benson.
Benson says she still expects there to be a high turnout for voting on Election Say as well.
She encourages everyone to cast their vote come Election Day.