Major Michigan city decides against verifying mail ballots early, potentially slowing results

Associated Press

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A decision by the elections clerk in Michigan’s third-largest city is raising concerns of a slowdown in reporting election night results in a county that is being targeted by both presidential campaigns and includes a competitive congressional race. The city clerk and election official for Warren has opted against using a new state law that allows election offices to start processing mail ballots before Election Day. The vast majority of voting jurisdictions in the presidential battleground state are taking advantage of the law. The Warren clerk said processing those ballots at the same time is more efficient and suggested that processing them before Election Day opens the possibility of results being leaked early.