Absentee voting is encouraged
By Charles Sercombe
Voting in the August and November elections just got easier and safer.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced this week that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, all registered voters will automatically get absentee ballot applications for both elections.
“By mailing applications, we have ensured that no Michigander has to choose between their health and their right to vote,” Benson in a press release. “Voting by mail is easy, convenient, safe, and secure, and every voter in Michigan has the right to do it.”
Her action caught the eye of President Donald Trump, who lashed out at her for encouraging voter fraud.
In a Twitter posting he said:
“Michigan sends absentee ballots to 7.7 million people ahead of Primaries and the General Election. This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State. I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!”
Benson and others pointed out that Trump was incorrect to say ballots were being mailed out. Only ballot applications are being mailed. Benson also pointed out she is not alone in taking this action. Republican election officials in Iowa, Nebraska, Georgia and West Virginia are mailing out AV ballot applications.
Trump later corrected his Tweet saying that ballot applications are being sent, but he still claimed this is an illegal act.
Trump has also claimed that voting by mail leads to fraud, but he has never presented any evidence to back up that accusation.
There are 7.7 million registered voters in the state, with 1.3 million on a list of voters who are to receive AV applications automatically.
Hamtramck has over 9,000 registered voters.
Once you have filled out the application, you can mail it to the Hamtramck’s city clerk office. The actual ballot will be mailed to you closer to the election.
In-person voting at the precincts on election day is still going to take place.
The August 4 election features primaries for the local state representative race, which features three Hamtramck candidates, and the county commissioner race for the district that includes Hamtramck.
City Councilmember Mohammad Hassan is one of a handful of challengers facing County Commissioner Martha Scott.
Scott has held public office since 1977, and has proven to be unbeatable.
Hamtramck residents running for the state representative seat are former Councilmember Shahab Ahmed, community activists Abraham Aiyash and Michele Oberholtzer.
The seat is unoccupied, and basically up for grabs. The seat became vacant after Isaac Robinson died apparently of COVID-19.
Also on the May ballot is a city millage increase proposal to pay for the pension costs for police and fire retirees.
Posted: May 22, 2020
9 Responses to Absentee voting is encouraged
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Joanna Lambright
May 27, 2020 at 6:04 pm
For those of you contemplating doing mail in ballots, think again. I mailed my sister a Priority Package (2 day) from Atlanta, GA. It was mailed on 5/14/2020 and was due to arrive on 5/18/2020. It is May 27, 2020 and no package has yest arrived.
Thank Goodness Priority Mail has tracking service. How will you track when you put a stamp on your ballot?
Resident
May 28, 2020 at 8:03 pm
Save the stamp. Drop it in the Dropbox at city hall entrance.
No risk of getting lost. Think about it and do it.
-Resident
Cadence
June 2, 2020 at 12:35 am
You can scan the your completed AV to your computer or take a picture of it using a smartphone, then email it directly to the Hamtramck City Clerk.
Resident
June 2, 2020 at 5:56 pm
@Cadence – Is there an official policy on this? Can you share the source of this information?
-Resident
A voter who doesn’t want to see digital ballot getting lost on cyberspace
Nasr Hussain
June 2, 2020 at 6:41 pm
Can you?
csercombe
June 3, 2020 at 9:44 am
According to Hamtramck City Clerk August Gitschlag, yes, you can do this.
Resident
June 3, 2020 at 2:44 pm
Great to know that it is possible. Is the City Clerk going to send an acknowledgement e-mail back? City Clerk could have this ACK e-mail automated.
***E-mails do end up in junk folder or not getting delivered. ***
-Resident
Nasr Hussain
June 3, 2020 at 3:18 pm
Can you do the same thing for the AV “application” and if not why are they treated differently?
Clerk August
July 1, 2020 at 2:18 pm
Hello Everyone, and thanks for your questions. Let’s clear a few things up.
Yes, you can take a cell phone picture of an AV Ballot APPLICATION and send it to my office to be processed.
NO, you cannot take a picture of your actual ballot and send it to my office to be processed. That is unacceptable. Paper ballots must be returned to the Clerk’s Office no later than 8pm on Election Day.
Yes, all polling locations will be open on Election Day.
Voting by mail is safe and secure. We are only 2.1 square miles, and have a drive up drop box, and a drop box in the vestibule at City Hall.
Any other questions, give us a call at 313-800-5233 Ext 821