Clerks ready for a long Election Day

Flood of absentee ballots make this unlike any previous vote

Harried clerks in Macomb County are prepared to process and count an unprecedented amount of absentee ballots starting Tuesday evening.

While each clerk might have different specific things they have put in place to ensure things run smoothly on Nov. 3, most agree they are doing things differently than in past elections.

The COVID-19 virus and the desire of many people to avoid in-person voting is just one factor driving up the amount of absentee ballots clerks are receiving this year. Proposal 3, which passed in 2018, allows “no excuse” absentee voting meaning anyone can choose to vote absentee without having to give a reason.

Warren City Clerk Sonja Buffa said 39,471 absentee ballots were sent to residents and as of 10 a.m. Oct. 29 31,104 had been received.

“To put things in perspective, four years ago we had 39,000 people vote at the polls and 13,000 by absentee ballot,” said Buffa.

The amount of people voting absentee coupled with the reported slowdown of mail service by the United States Postal Service have prompted some clerks to add multiple ballot drop-off boxes. Sterling Heights has the most in Macomb County with seven and Clinton Township is a close second with six. Both municipalities have boxes at police stations, fire stations and their city hall or civic center.

Clinton Township Clerk Kim Meltzer added one drop box at a police station on South Groesbeck Highway when she was elected in 2012 because she felt residents in the south end of the township needed to have a closer option than coming to the civic center which is located on Romeo Plank in the northern part of the township. This year, Meltzer added four more drop boxes at three fire stations and one at the Heritage Estates Senior Housing complex, which is owned by the township.

“I just felt with everything going on, we really needed those four additional boxes,” said Meltzer. “All of the boxes are emptied daily, including on the weekends, and have 24hour surveillance.”

Although Warren is the largest city in Macomb County, Buffa opted to have just two drop boxes, both at the Warren Civic Center on Van Dyke Avenue, north of 12 Mile Road. One is a drive-up box at the back of the Warren Civic Center

Library and one is a walkup box in front of the Civic Center atrium.

“For me it is a matter of security,” said Buffa. “We empty the boxes every half hour and process them as fast as we can. If we had seven boxes around the city, I don’t think we would be able to do that.”

Buffa also noted ballot drop-off boxes should have 24-hour surveillance that she deems more difficult away from the Civic Center area. She was not comfortable with placing them at fire stations as some other cities have done because she did not want to make fire personnel responsible

for the security of the ballots or for there to be any issues of voter traffic blocking fire vehicles.

Gathering the absentee ballots efficiently is just one piece of the puzzle. Processing and counting ballots in a timely fashion and without error is the top focus for clerks and election workers and something about which many residents are nervous.

Most clerks have ordered extra high- speed counting machines to help count votes, although many say they ordered more machines than they received. Some like Meltzer in Clinton Township who opted to take advantage of the opportunity to begin processing ballots on Monday, Nov. 2, have purchased highspeed envelope openers that remove the exterior mailing envelope while keeping the ballot in its protective sleeve. All clerks have hired more workers than usual for this election, in some cases doubling the amount of people typically on staff.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law in early October a bill that allows clerks from jurisdictions with at least 25,000 residents to begin processing, but not counting, absentee ballots on Monday. Clerks have a 10hour window on Nov. 2 to conduct processing.

The actual counting of votes is not allowed to commence until 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

“We have four high-speed envelope openers and three high-speed tabulators,” said Meltzer. “We ordered four of the tabulators but did not get the fourth one.”

Meltzer said as of the Thursday before Election Day, her office had received 26,022 of the 34,509 absentee ballots that were sent out. That is a 76-percent return rate.

Macomb County Clerk Fred Miller explains clerks were given the choice of participating in early processing and not everyone opted in.

“I know that Warren and Sterling Heights both opted not to,” said Miller. “My speculation is that clerks are a very methodical bunch and if they have confidence in their staff and a set procedure that has worked well in the past, I can see where they would be reluctant to change it up.”

“The day before the election is the worst day to add something new to the tasks that clerks already have to do on that day,” said Buffa, who thinks it is important she and all of her election workers are rested and ready for what promises to be a long Election Day.

The extra attention given to absentee ballots this election does not lessen a clerk’s responsibility with regard to in-person voting and making sure polling locations are properly staffed and prepared to deal with COVID-19 guidelines.

“All of our workers are being tested for COVID-19 and we have been really proactive to make sure everyone has personal protection equipment, and that we have enough hand sanitizers for voters and workers, and stickers for the floor indicating six-foot distancing,” said Meltzer. “We have really gone above and beyond for this election and I really think all of the clerks in Michigan deserve a trophy this year!”

Miller notes all clerk’s offices across Macomb County were open for at least eight hours on Saturday, Oct. 31, for in-person absentee voting. He also acknowledges that has been a certain amount of tension on the part of residents regarding when final vote tabulation will be completed. Some of that anxiety, he believes, has been caused by misinformation or misunderstanding of election guidelines.

“When in doubt,” Miller said, “ask a clerk.

“We live in an age of instant information and we want to know the results of this election because many people feel like this campaign cycle has lasted forever,” he said. “However, it is most important that we get it right and get it accurate. The new President is not going to be initiated until January, so we have some time before the transition happens. So let’s get it right. Taking a few extra days to properly count ballots is not going to have an effect on the democracy of our country.”

For those voting in person Tuesday, polls open at 7 a.m. and remain open until 8 p.m.

Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to cast their ballot. Absentee ballots may also be returned until 8 p.m. Tuesday.