Federal Judge Gives Absentee Ballot Reprieve After Dozens Of City Clerks Miss Deadline
LANSING (WWJ/AP) - Local governments that missed a June deadline to send absentee ballots to Michigan members of the armed forces still can count the votes if they're returned after Tuesday.
A federal judge in Grand Rapids approved a compromise Monday between the U.S. Justice Department and the state of Michigan.
The government filed a lawsuit after learning that dozens of clerks missed the deadline.
The Department of State website noted that local city and township clerks in 70 communities missed state and federal deadlines for providing absentee ballots to military and overseas voters for the August primary election.
Ballots must be provided to military and overseas voters who request them at least 45 days before an election, either by traditional mail or by email. Another 215 clerks did not respond to repeated requests from the Michigan Department of State for a status on their efforts to provide the ballots.
An online ballot tracker — HERE— that allows voters to check on their absentee ballot status.
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