Consolidated Absent Voter Counting Boards

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2022

After Michigan voters approved Proposal 3 in 2018 to allow for “no-reason absentee voting,” local clerks faced unprecedented levels of absentee ballot requests and dramatic increases in administrative tasks. Exacerbated by the global pandemic, the shift in voter behavior prompted Michigan leaders to provide for heightened collaboration between local and county clerks in the processing of absentee ballots. While the permissive legislation was welcomed by election officials statewide, neither an established framework nor additional resources to support county-local partnerships existed. The Oakland County Clerk recognized the law change as an opportunity to provide service to local partners along with the chance to ensure uniform standards and improved transparency for ballot tabulation in an increasingly charged political atmosphere. Starting in August 2020, Oakland County became the only county in Michigan to utilize the new law to process absentee ballots for multiple municipalities and, in doing so, ensured timely reporting of election results, achieved cost savings, and lessoned administrative burdens for locals, while delivering heightened levels of transparency. Over five elections in two years, the Oakland County team has processed and tabulated almost one quarter of a million absentee ballots on behalf of local communities.