Capitol News
September 8, 2024
Although a full legislative session for September had been scheduled, election obligations are likely going to keep most legislators in their home districts most days in September and October instead of in the Capitol.
VOTING PERIOD: SEPTEMBER 26 – NOVEMBER 5, 2024
Because of all the new election laws affecting voting procedures adopted by voters and the Legislature in the last several years, there is much to review and learn for all voters. Because seniors are experienced voters, we can be valuable sources of voting information and encouragement for those in our acquaintance who are confused about voting procedures, less likely to be registered to vote, or uneasy about casting a ballot. We understand that our vote is our voice on public policy matters important to us as individuals and as citizens in a democracy. In this voting period, be an ambassador for voting!
Here is basic election-related information for your information and sharing.
Now until November 5, 2024, 8 p.m. — Register to vote, change your voting address, or learn more about voter registration and voting at www.mi.gov/vote. If you have a Michigan driver’s license or state ID, you can register to vote or update your registration online until October 21!
- If you move to a new city or township, you must re-register. If you move within a city or township and are already registered to vote, you only need to update your address with the city/township clerk, even if it is just moving to a new apartment at the same street address.
- Alternatively, if you want to register to vote or update your registration by mail, you may do so with a printable application form available at www.mi.gov/vote.
- A third option is to register in person at your clerk’s office, a Secretary of State’s office, or at any office providing public assistance.
- You can register in person at any time up to 8 p.m. on Election Day at your city or township clerk’s office.
- If you’re registering other than in person, your voter registration application must be received or postmarked at least 15 days before the election, October 21 or before.
September 26, 2024 — Absent voter ballots must be made available for issuance on September 26. If you are on the permanent absentee ballot list with your local election clerk, you should get your ballot on or soon after September 26.
Michigan voters can track their absentee ballots online at www.mi.gov/vote.
Drop boxes for absentee ballots must become accessible for 24 hours daily beginning on September 26. Find your local drop box at www.mi.gov/vote.
New — There are four options for submitting your absentee ballot! Voters can:
- Mail in their absentee ballot with postage pre-paid,
- Put it in a designated voter drop box for your precinct in your community,
- Bring the completed absentee ballot to an early voting site to run it through the tabulator, or
- Go to your precinct on Election Day to run it through the tabulator.
Submitting your absentee ballot in-person will flag any errors (over votes, stray marks, or crossover votes in primaries, etc.).
If you submit your absentee ballot and later change your mind about your vote, you can visit your clerk’s office to ask for your absentee ballot to be retrieved, spoiled, and a new one issued to you.
October 15, 2024 — If you aren’t on the permanent absentee voter list, request your absentee ballot no later than October 15 to give yourself enough time to receive your ballot, complete it, and return it to your city or township clerk by the deadline.
October 21, 2024 — Last day for Michigan resident citizens to register to vote online with State identification at www.mi.gov/vote.
October 22 - through November 5, 2024, at 8 p.m. — Michigan resident citizens may register to vote in person at their local jurisdiction’s clerk’s office. Voters in Michigan can register to vote up to and on Election Day, including during the early voting period in person. You’ll need to bring your Michigan driver’s license or State ID and proof of residency such as a utility bill or lease.
October 26 – November 3, 2024 — Minimum early voting period to cast your ballot in person for 8 hours each day. Find your early voting site and hours at www.mi.gov/vote. Communities can offer up to 28 days of early voting.
October 28 - November 5, 2024 — Under expanded pre-processing laws in Michigan, election officials can take in returned absentee ballots, verify signatures, open the envelopes, ensure the correct ballot was returned, and scan them through the tabulator, but they can’t yet count the votes until Election Day. In communities with more than 5,000 people, officials can begin doing this eight days before the election; in smaller towns, officials are allowed to do it the Monday before the election.
Election workers don’t issue vote totals until after polls close on Election Day. Pre-processing helps avert the worst of the long delays that can fuel concerns about wrongdoing in the elections.
November 5, 2024 — Michigan’s election period ends November 5, 2024, at 8 p.m. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are in line at your polling place by 8 p.m, you can still vote. Find your polling place at www.mi.gov/vote.
Absentee ballots must be submitted or reach your jurisdiction’s clerk or drop box by 8 p.m. on November 5, 2024.
After the polls are closed, election workers secure all ballots and election materials. One Republican and one Democrat deliver the materials to the jurisdiction’s receiving board.
November 7 – November 21, 2024 — Each of Michigan’s 83 counties have a Board of County Canvassers composed of two Democrats and two Republicans. It meets in each county to check and certify official election results from each precinct in the county. County Canvasser Board meetings are open to the public and some are televised on a local government channel. The County Board of Canvassers then transmits the canvassed vote totals to the Board of State Canvassers composed of two Democrats and two Republicans and staffed by the Bureau of Elections in the Secretary of State’s Office.
By law, the duty to certify the vote is clerical, ministerial, and nondiscretionary. If a non-clerical problem is uncovered, the Board must turn over the matter to law enforcement for investigation.
More information — Additional information and detail about election and voting procedures is available at www.mi.gov/vote.
OTHER NEWS
Income Tax Decision — Michigan’s personal income tax will remain at 4.25 percent after the Michigan Supreme Court unanimously decided not to hear an appeal from business groups. Republican legislators and others stated that the rate should have fallen to 4.05 percent permanently under a 2015 law. As part of the 2015 road funding package, which included tax and fee increases, Republican legislators included a provision that would reduce the income tax should revenue growth exceed economic growth. Due to the COVID pandemic, the economy practically shut down in 2020. Federal action infused the economy in 2021 and beyond, and the revenue surge triggered economic growth sufficient to trigger the income tax rate reduction to 4.05 percent for 2023, but the court agreed with the State of Michigan that it was for only one year.
Adopt and Amend Fallout —Michigan intends to comply with the recent Michigan Supreme Court decision to raise the minimum wage to $12.48 in 2025 and to $14.97 by 2028 but is seeking clarification from the court before proceeding according to an August 21 filing by the State Treasury and Labor departments. The State is asking justices to further explain its blockbuster decision by September 15 overturning the 2018 lame duck Legislature’s action to gut two voter-initiated laws. The adopt and amend ruling, decided July 31, held the Legislature cannot adopt and later amend voter-initiated laws in the same session. That led to the reinstatement of a voter-initiated law calling to increase Michigan’s minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2022 and bring tipped minimum wage up to the regular minimum wage. A second law guaranteed 40 hours of earned paid sick leave.
Additionally, business industry stakeholders are asking lawmakers to change the minimum wage law, expected to go into effect February 21, 2025, to keep tipped wages in place while increasing the minimum wage to $15. If Michigan gets rid of tipped wages, many restaurant workers say they will make less, even if the minimum wage increases.
New COVID Vaccine — The new COVID vaccines are now available and formulated for the prevalent omicron variant KP.2. Like previous vaccines, these will be produced by Moderna (called SpikeVax) and Pfizer (Comirnaty). The jab is covered by insurance. Also, the Biden administration announced a September relaunch of its free test kit program. Kits can be ordered in late September at www.COVIDtests.gov.
COVID-19 has killed over 40,000 Michigan residents, State data shows. While over 62 percent of Michiganders have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine, only 12.5 percent of residents are up to date on their vaccinations. Although COVID-19 cases are no longer being nationally tracked through individual testing, August wastewater surveillance data indicates Michigan is experiencing the highest number of cases since January. The FDA advises getting COVID-19, flu, and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) shots for the upcoming “respiratory season.” They can safely be taken together and don’t interfere with one another in the body according to the FDA.
Editor’s note: Mary Pollock is the Lansing SERA Chapter and SERA Coordinating Council’s Legislative Representative. She may be contacted at michigansera@comcast.net.
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