Up North Progressive

On May 19, 2020, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced all registered voters in Michigan would receive an absentee ballot application in the mail. Voters in the state gratefully cheered the announcement, as many worry about standing in line voting in person during the COVID-19 pandemic. Forcing people to stand in line, like Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin did during their 2020 primary only to spread the virus to more people.

Not everyone however received an application in the mail. If you are one of those people, you can still apply for an absentee ballot by doing so online. Fortunately, it’s possible to apply for absentee ballots for August 4, 2020, primary, and the November 3, 2020, general election.

There are two ways to apply for an absentee ballot on the Secretary of State website. You can download the application and letter, fill it out, and mail it in., OR you can fill out the form on the SOS website. If you choose to fill out the paper form and mail it in, you will need to mail it to your county clerk. Applications must be received by 5:00 PM the Friday before election day. To vote in the August 4, 2020, primary, the county clerk must receive your application no later than July 31, 2020.

Voting is the right of all Americans. It’s the responsibility of local and state governments to ensure everyone can vote and remain safe from exposer to COVID-19. Despite Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s excellent handling of the pandemic in Michigan, predictions of another rise in cases in the fall are plausible. Voting from home and mailing in our ballots is the safest and responsible thing to do this election year.