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Kent County clerk offers advice to absentee voters ahead of Tuesday’s Presidential Election

Lisa Posthumus Lyons photo
gophouse.org

In 2016, Kent County issued nearly 71,000 absentee ballots. In 2020, as of this week, the county has issued more than 205,000 absentee ballots. Nearly 147,000 have been returned to the clerk’s office for about a 71-percent return rate.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Friday, October 30th.

“I want to encourage all voters who want to cast their absentee ballot to return their ballot in one of our secure drop boxes in the jurisdiction where you are registered to vote, or I want to encourage you to hand deliver your absentee ballot to your city or township clerk.”

With less than a week before the election, Kent County Clerk, Lisa Posthumus Lyons does not encourage dropping your absentee ballot in the mail.

“Remember, ballots must be returned to the local clerk, or deposited in one of the secure drop boxes by 8 o’clock PM on Election Day. No exceptions.”

Another deadline to keep in mind is Monday, November 2nd. Should you decide to change the vote cast on your submitted absentee ballot, you have until 10am the day before the election to spoil that ballot and be issued a new one.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.