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Detroit Regional Chamber > Michigan Voter Turnout Breaks Records Despite Pandemic

Michigan Voter Turnout Breaks Records Despite Pandemic

November 5, 2020
In an unprecedented election season, Michiganders’ commitment to the democratic process held strong despite the global COVID-19 pandemic. Options for absentee voting, early in-person voting, and the ability to register to vote in person on election day contributed to record-setting voter turnout across the state.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson expects votes in the state to be counted by Wednesday night, she said at a news conference in Detroit late Tuesday evening.

Michigan set a new record for voter turnout on election day with at least 3.26 million absentee ballots sent in and an estimated 2 million to 2.5 million Michiganders voting at the polls on Nov. 3. According to the Detroit Free Press, considering those numbers and using the low-end estimate for voting at the polls, at least 5.26 million votes were cast in Michigan, breaking the previous record set during the 2008 presidential election.

Benson also shared that about 28,000 Michiganders registered same-day to vote Tuesday. Most of the same-day registrations were seen in Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Kalamazoo. This was the first presidential election since the state’s residents adopted same-day registration, a change supported by the Detroit Regional Chamber.

Election officials also shared Tuesday night that voter turnout in Detroit is projected to be 53% to 55%, the highest in more than 20 years.

Final election results are still being determined.

Related:

https://www.detroitchamber.com/republicans-retain-majority-in-state-house-of-representatives/