GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Michigan voters are casting ballots at record rates ahead of Tuesday's primary election, with absentee voting surging past numbers seen in previous midterm cycles.
WATCH: Michigan voters casting absentee ballots at record pace
More than 1 million voters statewide have already cast ballots for Tuesday's primary election. Of those, 959,805 were submitted via absentee ballot.
A report from the state's election bureau examining absentee ballot returns from one week before election day (Tuesday, July 28th) — shows that the 801,695 absentee ballots returned this year have already surpassed the absentee ballots cast at the same point during the 2022 midterm election, which saw 589,813 returned. The 2022 midterm election was the first in which no-reason absentee voting was permitted in Michigan.
In Kent County, more than 70,000 ballots have already been cast. More than 16,000 of those came from Grand Rapids voters alone.
Grand Rapids City Clerk Joel Hondorp said early in-person voting during this year's primary has already surpassed the early votes received during the entire primary election in 2024. With two days left of early in-person voting, 1,516 ballots have been cast, compared to 934 in August 2024.
Hondorp said the shift in how voters participate has fundamentally changed what Election Day looks like for election officials.
"We used to say election day was our Super Bowl, but now it's a World Cup. It's over multiple days," Hondorp said.
He said the high-profile nature of this year's primary may also be contributing to increased turnout.
"I think a couple different factors come into play. In the midterm August election, without an incumbent governor, that really will make our turnout go up a little bit higher. This is the first time in modern era that you had an open U.S. Senate and an open governor seat at the same time," Hondorp said.
Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons said the numbers suggest a record-setting cycle may be ahead.
"We do have the potential to really set a high water mark for voter turnout in our even-year midterms," Posthumus Lyons said.
She said her priority is making sure every eligible voter can participate.
"Our elections are the bedrock of our republic, and people, as long as they are eligible to vote, I want them to be able to cast their ballot whatever way is most convenient and secure for them," Posthumus Lyons said.
Early in-person voting runs through Sunday. All absentee ballots must be returned to a local clerk's office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Click here for more information on polling locations.
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