The Public Accuracy test for the Aug. 6 primary election must be conducted by a quorum of the Election Commission no later than Monday, July 22 for equipment that will be used in early voting beginning July 27 (see note in final paragraph of this article). The meeting must be publicly noticed at least 48 hours before the test (MCL 168.798) and held in accordance with the Open Meetings Act.

Important notice to jurisdictions using third party vendors for testing: If you are using the same vendor that programmed the county’s memory devices to prepare the test deck and/or conduct the preliminary testing, the election commission must also complete the Election Commission Certification form at the public test. Designating a single vendor to create and then test the performance of memory cards they programmed, without the involvement of the election commission, removes critical checks and balances from the logic and accuracy testing process. The integrity of the testing process may come into question if one party is responsible for both developing and testing the accuracy of the program. Note: A vendor is not an authorized assistant within the meaning of the Election Law or corresponding administrative rules.

Following the introduction of early voting, there are now two separate deadlines for the public accuracy test—five days before beginning early voting (in statute, MCL 168.720j) and five days before Election Day (in the Administrative Rules, R 168.778). Because testing on the earlier date meets both of those deadlines, we recommend testing of all equipment be completed by the earlier date, which will be July 22 for any jurisdiction beginning early voting on July 27.

Tuesday, July 16, is the deadline for election inspectors to be appointed by the local election commission. (MCL 168.674).

This deadline includes appointment of election inspectors for Election Day precincts, early voting sites (may be appointed by the county election commission in county early voting agreements), and absent voter counting boards. This is also the deadline for local election commissions to establish absent voter counting boards for the August election.

Monday, July 22, is the deadline for registering to vote in any manner other than in person at the local clerk’s office to be eligible to vote in the Aug. 6 election. (MCL 168.497). After July 22 and through Election Day, Secretary of State offices and agencies of DHHS (that provide voter registration services) will provide new registrants with a notice informing them that they need to take additional steps to vote in the upcoming election. Any voter registered by mail with a registration form postmarked after July 22 also must be sent a notice. This notice is generated in QVF by clicking on the Voter Notice button. The notice prints in a format that can be folded and placed in a windowed envelope. While this notice must always be sent by mail, we strongly encourage clerks also use phone numbers or email addresses provided to inform the voter of the additional steps needed to vote in the upcoming election.

Michigan residents can vote online to help choose the final designs for the state's official 2024 Presidential Election "I Voted" sticker. Students enrolled in Michigan schools and residents submitted their designs for the contest, launched in May by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

Twenty-five semifinalists were chosen from each category from more than 480 submissions. Three winning designs will be selected from each separate category: elementary/middle school (grades K-8), high school (grades 9-12), and general entry (open to Michigan residents of all ages). The winning designs will be available for local clerks to order for the November election.  

Please help us share the online voting link.

Before adjourning for the summer, the Legislature passed Senate Bills 603 and 604, which revise the requirements surrounding county and statewide recounts for candidates and ballot questions. The Governor signed the bills on July 8, and they became Public Acts 74 and 75 of 2024. However, because the bills did not receive immediate effect from the Senate, they will not take effect until 91 days after the Legislature adjourns for the year. In other words, they will not be in effect for the August Primary or November General Election. The Board of State Canvassers and BOE are working to promulgate Administrative Rules that would generally mirror the bills for recounts conducted by the Board of State Canvassers, and those may be in effect this year. More information will follow in future updates.

Once they take effect, the bills will do all of the following:

• Require that the number of votes to be recounted be greater than the difference in votes between the petitioner and the winning candidate (or greater than the difference between “yes” and “no” votes in the case of a ballot question). This is intended to ensure that recounts are only conducted when the outcome could change the result of the election.
• Revise the deposit fees required for recounts. The fees would be kept low ($50 per precinct) for contests where the margin of votes is small, and increase (to up to $500 per precinct) when the margin is large, and the result of the election is less likely to change.
• Provide that a precinct must be recounted as part of a recount as long as both of the following apply:
  • The ballots are properly sealed in a ballot container and the seal number is accurately recorded in the poll book, ballot container certificate, or statement of results.
  • Either the precinct is in balance by matching the number of ballots to be recounted and the number of ballots issued, tabulated, or cast, or the precinct was certified as out of balance during the county canvass and remains out of balance by an identical or fewer number of ballots.
• Provide that, even if the board of canvassers determines that the precinct is not eligible for recount under the criteria in the previous bullet point, the precinct may be recounted upon receipt of a sworn affidavit from an election official if the explanation shows that security was preserved.
• Require an automatic recount if the margin in a statewide election, or for a state senate or state house seat, is lower than a certain statutory threshold, unless the losing candidate waives the automatic recount.
• Clarify that the role of boards of county canvassers is limited to determining the number of votes cast for each candidate or ballot question.
• Require that a recount petition for a local election be filed within 48 hours after the county canvass board has certified the canvass. (Currently it must be filed within six days after certification).
• Shift the deadlines for the county canvass if an expedited canvass is needed for a presidential election.

BOE is continuing to feature a series of videos, events, links, and articles designed to increase familiarity with general accessibility requirements and best practices.

As election officials, it is critical that we support all individuals’ right to vote and provide the necessary resources to help voters feel more engaged and confident.

We believe that this series is educational and helps us all continue to ensure that everyone can vote privately and independently whether they vote at a polling place or at home. We encourage you to review the previous accessibility spotlights and use these videos in your trainings.

In our newest installment, we are highlighting the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division’s article titled Communicating Effectively with People with Disabilities. This article provides perspective on how certain disabilities might communicate in different ways.

Registered voters without a stored digital signature on file with the Secretary of State may provide a manual digital signature by uploading a photograph of their physical handwritten signature to their online absent voter ballot application. Completed online absent voter ballot applications, including the digitized signature, will be sent electronically through the Qualified Voter File to the city or township clerk for processing. Please refer to our Voter Signature Upload Guide in eLearning for additional information and processing guidance.

Clerks may sometimes receive notice from USPS that postage is due for “returned” mail. When assessing if a postage-due request from USPS is accurate, it is important to determine whether the ballot was successfully returned by the voter or returned by the USPS because the mail delivery attempt was unsuccessful.

Voter return covered by state prepaid postage permit: When a voter returns a ballot, ballot application, or signature cure form that includes the Bureau of Elections’ business reply permit, USPS will generate a receipt to you of postage charged to the state's account. If this receipt indicates a cost center that does not start with “185,” but you have the correct permit printed on your mail piece, contact BOEOperations@Michigan.gov for resolution.

USPS return (unsuccessful delivery) not covered by prepaid postage permit: USPS return of mail to your jurisdiction because of an unsuccessful delivery is a USPS service provided with the cost of First-Class mail. If you have used a nonprofit postage permit and requested a “returned mail” service, the return service of mail that was not successfully delivered will incur a fee that you must pay. A nonprofit rate is discounted and does not include USPS “returned mail” service. Each mail piece that USPS returns due to an unsuccessful delivery attempt will incur a charge and result in a “postage due” request prior to USPS releasing this mail to you. If you utilize a nonprofit postage permit and do not add returned mail requested, unsuccessfully delivered mail will not be returned to you.

Beginning July 2, clerks are required to collect election materials from each drop box in their jurisdiction every day that the clerk’s office is open for business. MCL 168.761d. All ballots and applications collected from a drop box must be transported in an approved ballot container and must be returned to the clerk’s office without delay. This includes the collection of ballots and applications from any or all drop boxes in the jurisdiction.

Ballots and applications collected from a drop box that is not located on the grounds of the clerk’s office must be documented on a collection log. The collection log must document the name of the individual collecting ballots, the date, and the drop box location. The BOE has placed a Drop Box Collection and Inspection Form Template in the eLearning Center. If you choose to create your own log, you need to ensure it captures the required information.

All clerks should also take this opportunity to confirm that their drop box locations in QVF are up to date. The QVF entries for drop box locations are used to populate the clerk page at Michigan.gov/Vote, which voters use to identify drop box locations.