KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – With the November election now less than two weeks away, local officials are reminding absentee voters to get their ballots filled out and sent back in.
Tuesday was Election Hero Day in the city of Kalamazoo.
They recognized the election workers who will make sure that the vote goes smoothly, from the first absentee ballot that hit the mail, to the last ballot counted and beyond.
City Clerk Scott Borling says election day itself is a significant commitment.
Many workers serve for 16 hours or more, preparing and operating the polls and then executing closing procedures after the doors close.
“On election day, we will be looking at somewhere in the neighborhood of 275 people that will be out there working in various capacities,” Borling says.
And its even bigger countywide, with each township and city operating their own polling places, and the county handling the final tallies.
Borling recommends absentee voters get their ballots in the mail by this weekend, just to be sure.
“We have over 11,000 absentee ballots out, we have received over 4,000 of those back so one message is if you have an absentee ballot go ahead and return that. Think about it, as with any other piece of mail, when a piece of mail has to get someplace by a certain deadline, how soon would you get it in the mail?”
Portage city councilmember Vic Ledbetter suggests you bypass the post office and use a drop box.
“There’s a lot of things going on with the mail, so if you use the drop box it’s probably the secure, most effective & best way to make sure that your voice is heard. We have three drop boxes in the city of Portage, City Hall right outside, very secure, fire station #2 and fire station #3,” Ledbetter says.
The city of Kalamazoo has five drop boxes.
Early in-person voting begins this weekend and Election Day is November 3rd.
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