What to know about the final weekend for early in-person voting in Michigan

With Election Day just days away, Michigan voters still have time to cast their ballots, whether through early voting, absentee voting or in person on Tuesday. State election officials are also reminding voters about important deadlines as participation continues to climb across the state.

If you're planning to vote absentee, election officials say your ballot envelope must be signed before it is returned. Voters are also reminded to return absentee ballots to a drop box in their own community, an early voting site, or their local clerk's office. Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

For Kimberly Heard, making sure her family's votes are counted is a priority. Heard was dropping off an absentee ballot for her mother Friday.

"My mom is a senior citizen, so she doesn't get out much, so she went to cast her ballot early," Heard said. "I work literally down the street, dropping it off. I'm gonna do the polls, so just helping my mom out."

Heard says voting remains important because of the impact elections can have on people's lives.

"It's extremely important," she said. "It's our livelihood. It's gonna help you move to the next step."

Voters who haven't cast a ballot yet still have time. Early voting runs through Sunday, Nov. 1. Polls will then be open statewide from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Abdul Abdullah chose to vote early rather than wait until Election Day.

"This day matters a lot," Abdullah said. "With the climate, what's going on, communities that are being targeted, whoever they are, it's good to go out and vote and pick the person who's always gonna fight for you."

The latest figures from the Michigan Secretary of State's voter participation dashboard show more than 1.3 million absentee ballots have been returned and more than 358,000 ballots have been cast during early voting. 

Michigan currently has more than 7.4 million active registered voters.

Election officials say they are not anticipating disruptions at polling locations.

"We've seen no effort to disrupt the process," Detroit Corporation Counsel Conrad Mallett said. "We have not had any disruptions, and there's been no indication that we're expecting to see anyone try to disrupt the process."

In Detroit, City Clerk Janice Winfrey is projecting voter turnout between 40 and 45 percent. If that estimate holds, it would surpass the city's 34 percent turnout in the 2022 election.

State election officials encourage anyone who has not yet voted to make a plan and be aware of the remaining deadlines before Election Day.