Don't risk mailing ballots this close to the election

Don't risk mailing ballots this close to the election

YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT MAY NOT BECOUNTED IF IT'S NOT IN THE MAILYET...THAT'S WHAT INGHAM COUNTYCLERK... BARB BY-RUM... TELLSFOX 47 NEWS TONIGHT.SHE SAYS THEY'VE ONLY RECEIVEDHALF OF THE ABSENTEE BALLOTSTHEY'VE SENT OUT.NOW,... SHE'S WORRIED THEREMAINING BALLOTS...WON'T BE INON TIME TO COUNT.

FOX 47'SKELLAN BUDDY TELLS US WHY THOSEBALLOTS NEED TO BE BACK SOONERRATHER THAN LATER."MAIL HAS BEEN SLOWING DOWNBECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.

AT THISPOINT WE'RE LESS THAN A WEEKOUT FROM THE ELECTIONS."MICHIGAN SECRETARY OF STATEANNOUNCING THIS WEEK IT'S LIKELYYOUR BALLOT WON'T BE RECEIVEDBY YOUR LOCAL CLERK IF IT'S SENTIN THE MAIL.INGHAM COUNTY CLERK BARB BYRUMTELLS ME SO FAR...THEY'VE GOTTENONLY ABOUT HALF OF THEIR BALLOTSBACK AHEAD OF THE AUGUST FOURTHPRIMARIES."IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR SOMEBALLOTS TO NOT HAVE BEENRETURNED YET HOWEVER THE NUMBEROF BALLOTS THAT HAVE BEEN SENTOUT IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THANPREVIOUS YEARS.

OVER 62,000BALLOTS HAVE BEEN MAILED OUT TOINGHAM COUNTY VOTERS.

ALREADY,WE DO HAVE 33,000 THAT HAVE BEENRETURNED TO LOCAL CLERKS."THAT'S JUST OVER 46% ...WITHPOLLS CLOSING IN JUST OVER FIVEDAYS.

BYRUM SAYS THE COUNTY ISBETTER PREPARED TO COUNTABSENTEE BALLOTS THAN IN-PERSONBALLOTS...WITH A CONTINUING NEEDFOR ELECTION DAY WORKERS.

"MANYOF OUR LARGER MUNICIPAL CLERKSHAVE ABSENTEE COUNTY BOARDS FORTHE SOLE PURPOSE OF TABULATINGTHOSE ABSENTEE BALLOTS."SHE SAYS IF YOU WANT YOUR BALLOTTO BE COUNTED...DON'T RISKPUTTING IT IN THE MAIL.

"RATHER,PUT IT IN THEIR CLERK'S DROP BOXOR DELIVER IT TO THEIR CLERKTHIS WEEKEND OR EVEN ONELECTION DAY.

IT HAS TO BE INPOSSESSION OF THE CLERK BY THETIME THE POLLS CLOSE, 8:00, ONELECTION NIGHT."