Effects of election reform? Absentee voter percentages were robust in Greater Lansing

Tuesday's election was a nail-biter in East Lansing, where just two votes could decide the outcome of a City Council race.

There may be one clear winner in Greater Lansing elections, however — absentee voters.

Absentee voters made their voices heard by casting a sizable portion of the votes in competitive Ingham and Eaton county races.

Tuesday's race was the first general election since voters approved a series of reforms, including same-day voter registration and no-reason absentee voting, in 2018.

Before 2019, voters under 60 years old had to give a specific reason, such as being out of town on Election Day, for voting absentee.

The changes, made possible via a ballot initiative called Proposal 3, appear to have had an effect locally.

East Lansing: 32% absentee ballots

In East Lansing, 32% of the 4,507 voters who cast their ballots in the 2019 City Council election voted absentee, according to unofficial results provided by the city clerk's office.

By comparison, two years ago, close to 20% of East Lansing voters cast their ballots absentee. The 2017 election included City Council seats and an income tax proposal.

City Clerk Jennifer Shuster attributed an uptick in absentee voter participation, in part, to Proposal 3.

In Michigan, absentee voter numbers will continue to increase in coming elections, Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum predicted.

"We're finally making it a little easier for people to vote," Byrum said. "I look forward to seeing more qualified registered voters exercising their rights."

On Tuesday, East Lansing voters chose challengers Jessy Gregg and Lisa Babcock by wide margins for two council seats. The race for a third open seat was much closer. Incumbent Mark Meadows had 1,951 votes, according to results posted Tuesday night. Erik Altmann, another incumbent trailed him with 1,949 votes. 

Altmann told the Lansing State Journal late Tuesday he was conceding the race, although vote tallies are unofficial until they are certified by the county's Board of Canvassers. Certification could be completed by the end of this week.

There were no provisional ballots in the East Lansing race, according to the city clerk's office. Michigan voters can cast provisional ballots if there is uncertainty at the polls about their eligibility to vote. Canvassers determine at a later date whether to count the provisional ballots.

Theoretically, someone could request a recount in East Lansing; in which case, the city of East Lansing would need to reimburse the county for the cost of process.

More than 17% of registered voters cast ballots in this year's East Lansing election and 20 people participated in same-day voter registration Tuesday, East Lansing City Clerk Jennifer Shuster said.

East Lansing voters also decided Tuesday to let the city sell nearly 27 acres of vacant land.

Related:

2 newcomers win spots on East Lansing council; Third seat could hinge on just 2 votes

Betz ousts Washington in 1st Ward; Incumbents keep at-large Lansing council seats

Lansing: 66% absentee ballots

In Lansing, the effects of absentee voting were even more staggering.

Nearly 66% of the 13,195 people who voted in the November 2019 at-large race voted absentee. 

By comparison, during a comparable City Council election in November 2015, a much smaller portion — 44% — of voters cast absentee ballots. 

The Lansing City Clerk's office offers walk-in absentee voting hours, in which people could fill out out absentee ballots and then return them in-person at an elections office, beginning 40 days prior to the election.

Both Lansing and East Lansing have permanent absentee voter lists. Participants can sign up to have absentee ballot applications mailed to their home for every election.

Twenty-one Lansing voters took advantage of same-day voter registration Tuesday, Lansing City Clerk Chris Swope said.

Overall, Lansing's turnout in the 2019 general election was relatively low at 16% of registered city voters. 

Lansing voters chose Brandon Betz to unseat incumbent Jody Washington in the city's 1st Ward, which is northeast Lansing, and re-elected Carol Wood and Patricia Spitzley to at-large seats Tuesday. 

There was no mayoral election in Lansing this year, which may have depressed turnout. And there were no statewide or national candidates or issues, such as marijuana legalization, to generate buzz. 

Still, this year's general election turnout in Lansing was slightly better than than in November 2015, when only 13% of registered voters participated.

Absentee voter percentages in Eaton County

Several Eaton County races also saw significant absentee voter participation. 

Absentee voters represented 61% of the 1,389 voters who cast ballots in the race for Grand Ledge mayor. Nearly 23% of registered voters turned out for the mayoral election, which led to the incumbent Mayor Thomas Sowle keeping his seat.

In Charlotte, a whopping 78% of the 1,143 people who voted in a contested City Council race voted absentee. Overall turnout for that race was a more modest  18% of registered voters.

Nearby, in the city of Potterville, zero people cast absentee ballots in a City Council race, in which seven candidates vied for four City Council seats. Only 218 people voted overall in that Potterville election, according to unofficial numbers provided by the Eaton County clerk. There are 2,017 registered voters in Potterville, according to the clerk's office.

Read more:

Incumbent Branden Dyer wins contested Charlotte City Council race

Grand Ledge mayor Thomas Sowle overcomes two challengers to win re-election

Contact reporter Sarah Lehr at (517) 377-1056 or slehr@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahGLehr.

We keep an eye on local government: Subscribe to the Lansing State Journal.