Canvassing for last week’s special elections in Washtenaw County has been completed. As it turns out, absentee ballots played a big role in the county’s improved turnout.
Just under 20% of county residents who had issues on the ballot last Tuesday voted. This was the highest non-statewide special election turnout in a decade. Out of the more than 8,600 people who voted, 58% of them were by absentee.
Ed Golembiewski is the Washtenaw County elections director. He says more voters are taking advantage of the state constitutional amendment that was approved last November that, among other things, expanded access to early and absentee voting. More residents are choosing to have ballots mailed to them automatically.
“And many voters right now that have been returning their absentee ballot applications for this particular election are choosing that option to go forward into the future, receiving an absentee ballot itself prior to every election.”
The Chelsea Area Fire Authority, Saline Area Schools and Whitmore Lake Public Schools all had millages pass last week. Whitmore Lake saw the largest percentage of absentee votes with just under 68%.
The votes will be certified tomorrow.
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