200,000 mail-in ballots are waiting to be returned to local authorities for quick election results

With polling stations open across the United States, many voters are wondering when the election results will be announced.

At the time of this article's publication, over 45% of Michigan's registered voters had already voted by mail or early voting.

However, about 10% of mail-in ballots sent across the state have not yet been returned, which could be crucial to getting results as quickly as possible.

“We are focused on accuracy and security and want to ensure we provide our voters with an accurate election result,” said Meredith Place, Kalamazoo County clerk.

Those who haven't cast their mail-in ballot yet can still make their voices heard in this election, Place said. Voters may drop off their ballot either at their local elections office, at a drop box in their jurisdiction, or at their assigned polling place.

Voters have until 8 p.m. Nov. 5, when polls close, to cast their ballots, but Place said the sooner the better.

Although some jurisdictions in the county have begun pre-processing mail-in ballots, results cannot be processed and generated until the election officially closes.

Place said this election year is unique because the tabulators used in the county are not connected to the internet.

“In order to return Election Day information to the county, we have to wait for the election inspectors to deliver all the materials from the county to the local clerk, and then the local clerk waits to receive all the materials from all the counties, and then we wait “So not only on the in-person Election Day results, but also need to finalize and process the early voting results,” Place said.

Place urges voters to be patient with their local clerks as they begin the lengthy process of processing the thousands of mail-in, early and in-person ballots.

Voters can track turnout in Michigan through the Michigan Voter Dashboard.