(WXMI) — Starting Saturday, you can cast your ballot early in Michigan. Nothing will be tabulated officially until Election Day; however, depending on the area, processing can begin early.
FOX 17 connected with both the Kent County clerk and the Ottawa County clerk to see how early voting is going in its first few elections, and how much it costs.
Nine days before Election Day in West Michigan, you can cast your ballot in person. You can also submit an absentee ballot in person.
The numbers have been low so far, says Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons.
"Not just for Kent County but really throughout the state,” Posthumus Lyons.
Early voting looks a little different in Kent and Ottawa counties.
“For us it’s a collaboration with our local unit clerks,” Ottawa County Clerk Justin Roebuck said.
In Kent County, for example, every municipality runs its own early voting.
In Ottawa County, there are four centralized voter centers.
Early voting has averaged to cost $156 per voter in Kent County, the clerk's office told FOX 17.
That number is around $143 per voter in Ottawa County.
The Ottawa County clerk notes, however, that a large amount of those expenses are subsidized by state funding.
In total, Kent County will spend around $1.5 million this year paying for staffing and equipment to run early voting, including the November election.
“So you’re looking at about a half a million dollars for each election,” Posthumus Lyons said.
In Ottawa County, costs were about $631,000 so far this year, not including the November election.
“What’s amazing about that is through the state grants, and the process that has been afforded to us from the Legislature and the money allocated to early voting, we’re looking at, currently as we stand right now, about an $80,000 cost,” Roebuck said.
Over time, the Ottawa County clerk expects costs will go down.
FOX 17 also took a look at voter turnout for early in-person voting. The Kent County clerk says they anticipate higher numbers in November due to it being a general election.
“We’re looking at just over 3% of the voters who participated in these primary elections this year, with early voting, utilized that option. Very low numbers to get going,” Posthumus Lyons said.
In February's election in Ottawa County, 1,551 voters turned out for early in-person voting.
“In August we had 2,862 and that was about a 34% turnout election,” Roebuck said.
The Ottawa County clerk expects at least a 70% voter turnout in November.
November will be the third election early in-person voting is an option for Michiganders.
“I would be kind of frustrated with the low participation levels, but I’m going to reserve judgment on that. Because again, it’s new. This is the first time our voters have been exposed to the option of early voting," Posthumus Lyons said.
Both the Kent and Ottawa County clerks say it doesn't matter what method you use to vote; it just matters that you do.
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