LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – As we head into the 2024 election season, it’s crucial for Republicans to rethink their approach to voting. The GOP has traditionally shunned early voting and absentee ballots, favoring in-person voting on Election Day.

I understand this idea and have shunned early voting and the idea of using absentee ballots myself. To me, voting day has always been a “holiday” – an honor. I usually go early so that I can listen to the pledge of allegiance when the polls open and happily leave the precinct with my “I voted” sticker that I adhere to my steering wheel.

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However, to stay competitive in the new voting landscape that the Democrats have mandated, it’s time for Republicans to fully embrace early voting and using absentee ballots.

When does early voting start?

Michigan’s upcoming primary will take place on August 6th. Starting from the second Saturday prior to the primary and ending the Sunday before, voters can cast their ballots early. Some communities even offer up to 29 days of early voting, giving ample opportunity for voters to make their voices heard. The mandated open voting period in the state will be from Saturday, July 27th through Sunday, August 4th.

Absentee ballots: a reliable alternative.

Absentee ballots have been a sticking point for many conservatives, partly due to concerns about potential fraud. However, it’s important to note that there are measures in Michigan that have been put in place to ensure the integrity of absentee voting – including being able to track your ballot.

Additionally, a Michigan Court of Claims judge recently ruled that absentee ballot signature verification guidelines that came from Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to election clerks cannot presume the validity of a signature. The clerks will be required instead to verify each signature against those on file, while still being allowed to consider various factors that might cause discrepancies, such as health issues or use of nicknames.

When it comes to absentee ballots, registered voters can request absentee ballots up to 40 days before an election and return them by 8 p.m. on Election Day. For those worried about the reliability of mail, the recommendation is to mail ballots at least two weeks before Election Day to avoid delays.

Additionally, Michigan voters now have the option to join the permanent absentee ballot list by simply checking a box on the application, ensuring they automatically receive an absentee ballot for every election.

Learning from the past.

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Republicans, especially recently, have been less likely to utilize absentee ballots compared to Democrats. According to a Bridge Michigan analysis, during the 2020 election in Michigan, Joe Biden’s supporters cast significantly more absentee ballots than Donald Trump’s supporters – and this trend continued in the 2022 midterms, where Democratic absentee voters outnumbered their Republican counterparts, narrowing margins in key counties.

A shift in strategy.

Recognizing the gap, the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) and the Michigan Freedom Network are investing millions to encourage early and absentee voting among Republican voters. This strategy proved effective in Virginia, where a similar initiative led to a 5.5% increase in absentee and early voting for the GOP. If Michigan Republicans follow suit, they could see a significant boost in voter turnout.

The Trump factor.

Former President Donald Trump has had a complex relationship with mail-in voting, alternating between endorsing it and condemning it. Despite his claims about mail-in voting fraud in the 2020 election, Trump has also acknowledged the importance of early voting for future elections. In a recent statement, he urged supporters to “swamp the radical Democrats with massive turnout,” highlighting the need to utilize every available voting method.

Former Michigan GOP Chair, Kristina Karamo, has also claimed in the past that absentee voting increases the risk of fraud. Michigan News Source reached out to current MIGOP Chair Pete Hoekstra for his stance on early voting and absentee ballots but he did not return our request for comment.

Turning Point Action, the Trump campaign, and the Republican National Committee, led by Chairman Michael Whatley and Co-chair Lara Trump, are urging GOP voters to embrace early voting, absentee ballots, and drop boxes. They aim to hire a thousand organizers in battleground states to mobilize conservative voters for November, emphasizing trust in the voting process despite challenges in rebuilding confidence. Meanwhile, Whatley and Lara Trump launched the RNC’s “Protect the Vote” tour when they were in Michigan’s Oakland County recently, focusing on recruiting poll workers, watchers, and election lawyers for close battleground states.

Turning Point Founder and President Charlie Kirk says about embracing other ways to vote, “…We’re left with really a binary choice: we keep on doing what we’re doing, which is to try to squeeze, you know, 70 to 80 million votes in a 12-hour period, right? Or we broaden that, especially with low- [propensity] voters, which … our side absolutely needs, and do our best in a 30- to 35-day window.”

The path forward.

However, regardless of the opinions of state and national GOP leaders, it is obvious that to ensure success in the upcoming elections, Republicans need to adopt a pragmatic approach. Embracing early voting and absentee ballots doesn’t mean compromising on principle – it means recognizing the current electoral landscape and adapting to it.

As RSLC PAC President Dee Duncan stated, “If Republicans are going to win up-and-down the ballot in November it is imperative that Michiganders take advantage of early and absentee voting so that we know the score heading into Election Day and can strategically target voters down the final stretch heading into November 5th.”

For Michiganders who want to learn more about early voting and requesting absentee ballots, you can visit the Michigan Voter Information Center.