The Michigan Democratic Party released the following statement on behalf of Chair Lavora Barnes regarding the Michigan Court of Appeals ruling on accepting and counting absentee ballots 14 days post election.
“We are disappointed in the Michigan Court of Appeals decision to not allow ballots to be counted up to 14 days post election. Voters should not be punished for delays in the U.S. Postal Service or for unexpected emergencies that could make it a challenge for them to get to the polls on election day. Our courts should be following the example set by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, and reinforcing efforts that remove barriers to voting.
The Michigan Democratic Party continues to encourage voters to request an absentee ballot immediately, fill it out when it arrives, and return it to their local clerk’s office as soon as possible. This is the most important election of our lifetime and it is essential that every vote cast is counted. We encourage any voter with questions about the process or with any voting issues to call our voter protection hotline at 1-833-MI-VOTES.”
