Michigan on pace to break voter turnout records, official says
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson (D) said Tuesday that the Great Lake State, a critical battleground in the presidential race, is on track to break voter turnout records.
“Michiganders are already voting in record numbers. It’s a great thing for voters and for democracy,” Benson told reporters at a morning news conference in Detroit, where she noted "the eyes of the nation are on us."
“Already 45.8 percent of registered active voters in our state have voted in this election, and we’re on track to break turnout records yet again,” she said, pointing to absentee and early voting numbers.
In 2020, the state saw a 70 percent total turnout, with 5.5 million votes cast. This year, 3.3 million Michiganders had already cast their absentee or early ballots before Election Day, according to data from the secretary of state.
Roughly 234,000 additional mail ballots were sent out but had yet to be returned as of Benson's update.
Michigan is a major battleground in the White House race and could be pivotal in deciding control of both Congress and the White House. Decision Desk HQ/The Hill’s polling averages put Vice President Harris up by a fraction of a percentage point over former President Trump in the state, and both campaigns have crisscrossed Michigan in the run-up to Tuesday.
Trump flipped Michigan, which holds 15 Electoral College votes, into Republicans’ column in 2016. President Biden brought it back to Democrats in 2020.
Michigan is also the site of a critical Senate race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, as well as a handful of crucial House contests. Most Michigan voters have until 8 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday to drop off their ballots.
Yash Roy contributed.
Topics
-
Georgia Officials Report Record Turnout on First Day of Early Voting
Top stories - The New York Times - October 15 -
North Carolina Officials Report Record Turnout for First Day of Early Voting
Top stories - The New York Times - October 19 -
Derrick Henry is on pace to break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing yardage record
Sports - Yahoo Sports - October 22 -
Alex Ovechkin scores his 858th goal and is on pace to break Wayne Gretzky's record this season
Sports - ABC News - 4 days ago -
Record-breaking turnout as 78 million Americans cast votes before Election Day
Top stories - CBS News - Yesterday -
What voter registration data says about 2024 election turnout
Top stories - CBS News - October 16 -
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on election integrity, early vote turnout
Top stories - CBS News - Yesterday -
Lamar Jackson says Derrick Henry has 'great chance' to break hallowed NFL record that has stood for 40 years
Sports - CBS Sports - October 24 -
Video showing voters' ballots being ripped up is fake, officials say
Politics - CBS News - October 24
More from The Hill
-
Election Day 2024 live updates: Nation braces for results of Harris-Trump battle
Politics - The Hill - 33 minutes ago -
World awaits US election results
Politics - The Hill - 1 hour ago -
Trump, RFK Jr. stir debate over fluoride in public water: What to know
Politics - The Hill - 1 hour ago -
Obama urges patience with election results: 'It takes time to count every ballot'
Politics - The Hill - 1 hour ago -
Number of renter households grows ‘three times faster’ than homeowner households: Report
Politics - The Hill - 1 hour ago
Latest in Politics
-
Election Day 2024 live updates: Nation braces for results of Harris-Trump battle
Politics - The Hill - 33 minutes ago -
World awaits US election results
Politics - The Hill - 1 hour ago -
Trump, RFK Jr. stir debate over fluoride in public water: What to know
Politics - The Hill - 1 hour ago -
Obama urges patience with election results: 'It takes time to count every ballot'
Politics - The Hill - 1 hour ago -
Number of renter households grows ‘three times faster’ than homeowner households: Report
Politics - The Hill - 1 hour ago