GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Michigan voters can begin casting their ballots in person Saturday as early voting opens statewide ahead of the August primary election.
The primary will determine who advances to November in key races for governor, U.S. Senate, the state legislature, and local offices. National attention is focused on Michigan as the election season heats up.
In Grand Rapids, City Clerk Joel Hondrop and his team are setting up election booths at the following locations:
- St. Peter and Paul School - 1430 Quarry NW
- GRPS University - 1400 Fuller NE
- Ottawa Hills High School - 2055 Rosewood SE
"We used to say the election day was our Super Bowl. Now I guess it's our World Cup because it's over... multiple days now," Hondrop said.
Early in-person voting will run for nine consecutive days.
"We'll be open for nine days, straight days, and we're open nine to five every day, except for the Tuesday and Thursday next week. We'll be open 11 to seven because we give it a couple hours for after work," Hondrop said.
This marks the first early in-person voting period since the 2024 election.
Hondrop encouraged voters to take advantage of locations convenient to wherever they may be.
"If you're a West Sider and you happen to be out by Woodland Mall, stop by Ottawa Hills High School. If you're out here on the West Side and you live on the Southeast Side, stop by," Hondrop said.
I asked how the local clerk keeps Grand Rapids neighbors' votes secure.
"So where we keep our election equipment is all card access. Only city clerk staff has access to those spaces. So that's the first way we keep it secured. When we're delivering any ballots, they are in sealed containers, and when everything comes back at the end of the night, all the ballots go back into sealed containers, and those seals aren't broken until after the election is all certified by the county and by the state," Hondrop said.
Voters can find early voting locations in their area by checking with their local clerk's office.
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