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More than 18K vote early for 2024 Michigan presidential primary

Michigan residents can vote in-person early for first time in presidential primaries this weekend
Michigan residents can vote in-person early for first time in presidential primaries this weekend 01:57

(CBS DETROIT) - More than 18,000 voters turned out for the first weekend of early voting, and more than 747,000 voters have turned in their absentee ballots for Michigan's 2024 presidential primary. 

US-VOTE-POLITICS
People cast their ballots during early voting in the state's primary on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan on February 20, 2024. Michigan's primary will be held on February 27. JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images

This is the first statewide election that voters in Michigan get a minimum of nine days for early in-person voting, according to Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson's office. 

This was approved by voters under Proposal 2 in 2022. 

Here's the breakdown of Michigan voters who cast a ballot at an early voting location from Saturday, Feb. 17, to Monday, Feb. 19: 

  • Saturday, Feb. 17                                                   

6,587

  • Sunday, Feb. 18

4,598

  • Monday, Feb. 19 (Presidents Day)

7,132

  Total

18,317

In addition to these totals, the Michigan Department of State will post early voting totals each day and then post the final totals by jurisdiction on Monday, Feb. 26. 

Michigan residents can vote early and in person at your nearest early voting location through Sunday, Feb. 25. 

Along with the totals for early voting, 747,534 Michigan voters have submitted their absentee ballots.

Benson's office says more than 1.3 million voters requested absentee ballots for the Michigan primary this year. This is up 60% from the same time frame in 2020.

Here's a breakdown of the absentee ballots received a week before this election versus how many were received in 2020:


7 Days Before Election Day 

(Feb. 20, 2024)

7 Days Before Election Day 

(March 3, 2020)

  • Number of applications received

1,374,678

863,188

  • Number of ballots issued

1,218,414

868,339

  • Number of completed ballots returned

747,534

489,068

Voters who haven't returned their absentee ballots can deliver them to a ballot drop box, their clerk's office or an early voting site in their jurisdiction. 

Absentee ballots must be turned into the clerk's offices or drop boxes by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. 

Residents can also register to vote at their clerk's office through 8 p.m. on Election Day. 

For more information about voting, Michigan residents can visit the Michigan Department of State's Voter Information Center

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