What to know about absentee ballots this year

From Bridge Magazine email

With six weeks until the mid-terms, Michigan lawmakers are debating whether to provide local clerks more time to process absentee ballots before Election Day.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, said he is thinking of proposing two days to help smooth the vote counting process for clerks, who have urged more time. Nationally, 38 states allow clerks to process absentee ballots before Election Day.

Clerks are beginning to send out absentee ballots this week to those who request them. Haven’t yet registered? Here’s everything to know about registering to vote and obtaining an absentee ballot this year.

In other news:

• Here are the eight candidates running for the State Board of Education.

• Michiganders have contracted COVID-19 in all sorts of ways since early 2020. But so-called super-dodgers have avoided infection. What’s their secret sauce? Researchers are increasingly studying the role that genetics plays in sparing some folks, even when those around them have fallen ill.

• The Eastern Michigan University faculty union is trumpeting the approval of a new, four-year contract, which includes increases in wages and other benefits. The contract follows days of disruption earlier this month when faculty went on strike.

• Some Michigan school districts with Jewish student populations expressed concern that this year’s student “count day” falls on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. Count day is the day each October when student attendance helps guide the amount of state education dollars each district receives. Districts that close that day, Oct. 5, can seek waivers to have their count day reset for Oct. 6. But districts that remain open must take further steps to ensure all students are counted.

Thanks for reading Bridge Michigan, please donate to our nonpartisan, nonprofit newsroom.