Michigan Secretary of State discusses ballot tracking, security ahead of 2024 election
(CBS DETROIT) – With just 40 days until the 2024 presidential election, Michigan's top election official and the Detroit Pistons are teaming up to encourage voter participation and enhance voter education across the state.
Speaking at the Pistons Performance Center Thursday, where there is a ballot dropoff box outside the facility, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced efforts to make voting easier.
"We are entering a critical phase in this fall's election season," Benson said.
Thursday marks the start of early voting, and Benson noted over 1.8 million Michiganders have requested absentee ballots.
"Our job and hope in the weeks ahead is to help and equip every citizen in our state with the tools they need to know the facts about our elections and where to go when they have questions," Benson said.
Benson announced several new initiatives to facilitate the process, including a voter information texting service called "My Vote Info."
Benson explained that the texting tool allows voters to sign up for a one-time text message with links to essential voting resources. These include options to request an absentee ballot, find early voting sites, plan for Election Day, or even volunteer as a poll worker. Voters can sign up for the service by texting "VOTE" to 833-868-3009.
In addition to the texting service, Michigan has launched an absentee ballot tracking system that allows voters to monitor their ballot's progress from submission to acceptance. Voters can sign up for ballot tracking notifications when they register to vote, submit their absentee ballot application, or by visiting the state's voting website.
"Just this week, the intelligence community put out new warnings about foreign entities creating misinformation campaigns to mislead voters and prevent them from exercising their voting rights and trusting the results of our elections. Iran, China, and Russia have all ongoing dedicating efforts to divide and confuse American voters headed to the ballot box, particularly in Michigan," Benson said.
In addition to voter outreach, Benson announced that the state is offering $5 million in grant funding to enhance physical security at polling sites, guard against cybersecurity threats, and purchase additional voting equipment.
"We also know that foreign and domestic bad actors will use violent threats and potentially even violent actions to send a message of intimidation to all election officials and potentially voters in an election season that is so consequential for our nation. So I'm worried about that," Benson said.
Meanwhile, she is urging every eligible Michigander to check their registration, plan to vote, and help protect the integrity of the election.
"I, along with the 1,600 bipartisan professional clerks across our state, will continue to spend every minute that we can work to make it easier to vote and harder to cheat in our state. We will do that because it's our honor, our duty, and because we know that the votes our citizens will cast in the next 45 days will define the future of our country," Benson said.
