KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety is investigating after officers say someone took absentee ballots from one mailbox and put them in another.
Officers say it happened over the weekend on Kalamazoo's south side. They say it's likely this is because of an uptick in mail theft, not voter fraud.
"Larceny from mail is a consistent problem that we have. It's one of the crimes of opportunity in Kalamazoo that we routinely deal with and we address it through doing direct patrols and putting extra officers in different areas where we know that it's happening," explained Sergeant Nathan Garnaat with KDPS.
Sgt. Garnaat said mail theft in Kalamazoo has seen an 11-percent boost in 2022, compared to 2021.
"But that 11-percent is having 49 cases this year, compared to 45 last year at this time," Sgt. Garnaat added.
Kalamazoo City Clerk Scott Borling shared the following tips to protect your absentee ballot:
- Make sure you sign your absentee ballot return envelope. Your ballot cannot be processed and tabulated if the envelope is not signed.
- Be smart about using the U.S. postal service. Check your mailbox daily. Do not put a ballot request form or voted ballot in your mailbox for postal carrier pick up if you are aware of mail thefts in your neighborhood. And finally make sure you allow enough time for delivery, whether you are sending something to the Clerk’s Office or asking us to send you something.
- Check the status of your absentee ballot through the Michigan Voter Information Center. You can use this portal to request an absentee ballot and check to see whether your request has been received, your ballot has been sent, and your ballot has been received in the Clerk’s Office.
- If you have not received your ballot or your ballot request form by mail within a reasonable delivery time, contact your local clerk. City of Kalamazoo voters can call 311 (337-8000) or send an email to elections@kalamazoocity.org.
- The City’s ballot drop boxes are a great way to return voted ballots. Drop boxes are checked and emptied by City Clerk’s Office staff every day, including on weekends. The boxes themselves are fastened to the ground and locked, and there are surveillance cameras monitoring the boxes for extra security.
If your mail is tampered with or taken from your mailbox, KDPS says to call your local police department right away.
