GENERAL ELECTION 2020

We’re tracking results for races in the 2020 General Election around Michigan and the U.S. on Nov. 3. Join Local 4′s Jason Carr, along with a slew of special guests, to help break down the latest numbers and news from Michigan races, and key races around the country. Live coverage begins right before polls close in Metro Detroit -- around 8 p.m. Join live coverage in the video player above. (Note: Due to an increase in mail-in voting, clerks are expecting delayed results, up to multiple days. Check back for updates as results are reported).

We’re tracking results for races in the 2020 General Election around Michigan and the U.S. on Nov. 3. Join Local 4′s Jason Carr, along with a slew of special guests, to help break down the latest numbers and news from Michigan races, and key races around the country. Live coverage begins right before polls close in Metro Detroit -- around 8 p.m. Join live coverage in the video player above. (Note: Due to an increase in mail-in voting, clerks are expecting delayed results, up to multiple days. Check back for updates as results are reported).

We’re tracking results for races in the 2020 General Election around Michigan and the U.S. on Nov. 3. Join Local 4′s Jason Carr, along with a slew of special guests, to help break down the latest numbers and news from Michigan races, and key races around the country. Live coverage begins right before polls close in Metro Detroit -- around 8 p.m. Join live coverage in the video player above. (Note: Due to an increase in mail-in voting, clerks are expecting delayed results, up to multiple days. Check back for updates as results are reported).

Voting in the 2020 U.S. presidential election is already underway in Michigan with early in-person voting and absentee voting. All Michigan voters are eligible to vote using an absent voter ballot. You can apply to receive an absent voter ballot on the state’s website right here. Michigan voters registered to vote at their current address can request an absentee ballot in person at their local clerk’s office anytime up to 4 p.m. on the day before Election Day -- which is November 2. Once completed, your absentee ballot must be returned to your local clerk’s office no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 3.

Nessel took to Twitter Wednesday to debunk election security myths and encourage Michigan residents to vote in the 2020 presidential election -- with a timely, spooky twist, of course. Michigan voters can be assured that the claims made in the robocalls are false, and that their information will not be made public. Though Election Day is officially November 3, voting in the 2020 presidential election is already underway in Michigan and throughout the U.S. with early in-person voting and mail-in voting. If you would like to vote in person, but still want to do so before Election Day, visit your local clerk’s office. Click here to find the location and contact information for your local clerk’s office in Michigan.

Filling out your Michigan absent voter ballotIt’s important to be cautious and follow directions precisely when filling out a Michigan absent voter ballot to ensure it is counted on Election Day. Inside of your official Michigan absent voter ballot envelope is a brightly-colored “secrecy sleeve” containing your ballot. Packaging your absent voter ballot once it’s completedOnce you’ve filled out your Michigan absent voter ballot for the 2020 General Election, place it inside of the brightly-colored secrecy sleeve that it was initially presented in. To return your absent voter ballot on time, you have two options:Return your absent voter ballot in personYou can return your completed absent voter ballot by delivering it to your local clerk’s office before the 8 p.m. deadline on November 3. Return your absent voter ballot by mailYou can also return your completed absent voter ballot by mailing it to your local clerk’s office -- though this option is not recommended as the deadline to return your ballot approaches.

All rights reserved)Former Second Lady of the United States Jill Biden is scheduled to visit Michigan on Tuesday, October 20. The travel plans were announced Saturday by the campaign for Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden, Jill Biden’s husband. The news comes just after Joe Biden campaigned in Michigan on Friday, stopping to speak in Southfield and attend a voter mobilization event in Detroit. The U.S. presidential election is already underway with mail-in voting and early voting, with only 17 days left until Election Day on November 3. U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is also campaigning in Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 17.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will return to Michigan on Friday, stopping in Southfield and Detroit, according to his campaign. The former vice president is scheduled to attend an event in Southfield around 2:30 p.m., where he will deliver remarks on “protecting and expanding access to affordable health care,” a press release reads Thursday. Biden is also scheduled to attend a voter mobilization event in Detroit at about 6:20 p.m. Related: Magic Johnson campaigning for Biden-Harris in Detroit, Lansing this weekendRelated: Biden campaign finds 3rd virus link; Harris suspends travelPresident Donald Trump is set to visit Muskegon on Saturday, Oct. 17. Trump is expected to deliver remarks on supporting law enforcement at FlyBy Air, according to his campaign.

Michigan voters who feel uncomfortable voting in person amid the pandemic now have the option to vote by mail using an absent voter ballot. The state of Michigan mailed absentee voting applications to all registered Michigan voters in May for this year’s August and November elections. There is still time for Michigan voters to request a mail-in ballot for the General Election on November 3. You can apply to receive an absent voter ballot on the state’s website right here. Learn more: Voting by mail in Michigan for 2020 General Election: What to knowDo you need a voter registration card in order to vote in person?

Likewise, Trump was intimately involved in the planning for his evening return to the White House, turning it into a made-for-TV moment that dominated evening newscasts. The president was still contagious, and the White House doctor, Navy Cmdr. And even once he’s no longer actively shedding the virus, Trump could still test positive for some time, putting his participation in next week’s debate in doubt despite his avowed plans to attend. The long-term effects of the virus on Trump’s health were not clear — White House doctors have not discussed them with the public. He appeared to be breathing heavily Monday evening after climbing stairs on his return to the White House.

With two more presidential debates on the horizon, we’re asking our viewers if the debates have any chance of changing your mind about either former Vice President Biden or President Trump before hitting the polls -- or mailing in your ballot -- by November 3. As of Sunday night, 91% of respondents have said that the candidates will not be able to change their mind about them during the presidential debates. As president, Trump has left us with no question as to who he is. So I believe (the debates) will not make a difference, only increase enthusiasm for the incumbent.”-- Nancy“We have seen four years of President Trump. Can Trump or Biden change your mind about them during the presidential debates?

Political robocalls and texts are getting out of control, but there is a way to get them to stop -- for now. If you feel like you’ve received a political scam call, it’s important you report it to local police and the Better Business Bureau who will track the areas being targeted. We’re also seeing robocall scam calls. If you feel like you’ve received a political scam call it’s important you report it to local police and the Better Business Bureau who will track the areas being targeted. If you’ve been the victim of a robocall scam, report it on the BBB.org/ScamTracker.

DETROIT – Two men are facing felony charges in Michigan after allegedly orchestrating robocalls meant to discourage voters from voting by mail in the presidential election by making false claims. According to officials, an investigation revealed that the robocalls have been reported in Detroit and a number of other cities across New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois. “Any effort to interfere with, intimidate or intentionally mislead Michigan voters will be met with swift and severe consequences,” Nessel said. “This effort specifically targeted minority voters in an attempt to deter them from voting in the November election. Read: Trust Index: Fact-checking claims about absentee voting made during Trump-Biden debateThe official charges against Burkman and Wohl can be viewed in the document below.

DETROIT – Two men are facing felony charges in Michigan after allegedly orchestrating robocalls meant to discourage voters from voting by mail in the presidential election by making false claims. According to officials, an investigation revealed that the robocalls have been reported in Detroit and a number of other cities across New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois. “Any effort to interfere with, intimidate or intentionally mislead Michigan voters will be met with swift and severe consequences,” Nessel said. “This effort specifically targeted minority voters in an attempt to deter them from voting in the November election. Read: Trust Index: Fact-checking claims about absentee voting made during Trump-Biden debateThe official charges against Burkman and Wohl can be viewed in the document below.

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Gov. Trump has spread falsehoods about mail voting, suggesting without evidence that the process — which is surging in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic — was ripe for fraud. Texas is one of just five states not allowing widespread mail-in voting this year, with polls showing unusually tight races in America’s biggest red state. “Mail ballot voters shouldn’t have to drive 30 miles to drop off their ballot, or rely on a mail system that’s facing cutbacks,” said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, a Democrat. “Our office is more than willing to accommodate poll watchers at mail ballot drop-off locations,” Hollins said.

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden gives a speech on the Supreme Court at The Queen Theater, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. – Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden wants voters to see Republicans’ push for a speedy Supreme Court confirmation as an end-run of Congress and the 2010 health care law. “She's gonna be a great justice” who will “rule (based on) the law,” Trump said of Barrett. Justices are scheduled on Nov. 10, a week after Election Day, to hear another challenge of the 2010 health care law. “Prior to going on the bench, she publicly criticized Chief Justice Roberts’ opinion upholding the law,” Biden noted.

– Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden delivered remarks Sunday on the U.S. Supreme Court following President Trump’s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced his nomination of Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court following the death of Justice Ginsburg, a liberal icon. Supreme Court decisions affect our everyday lives, and the Constitution was designed to give voters a voice on who makes those decisions. A judge on the federal appeals court based in Chicago, Barrett and her ideologies significantly contrast those of the late Justice Ginsburg. President Trump and former Vice President Biden are slated to debate on Tuesday night in Ohio.

Once you’re officially registered to vote in Michigan, you will be assigned a physical polling location at which you can vote on Election Day. How to request an absent voter ballot in Michigan for the 2020 General ElectionIf you’re registered to vote and hoping to vote absentee in Michigan for the 2020 General Election but have not yet requested an absent voter ballot, don’t worry -- you still have time. Michigan also allows same-day voter registration -- meaning you can register to vote on Election Day. Absent voter ballots will be mailed out to Michigan voters as early as 40 days before Election Day, which is September 24 for the 2020 General Election. Learn more about voting by mail in Michigan for the 2020 General Election here.

When Benson announced the mass mailing, she was criticized by President Donald Trump, who wrongly stated that she was sending absentee ballots, not applications. The previous record for absent voter ballots cast in a Michigan election was 1.3 million in the 2016 Presidential Election. Already, about 2.3 million absentee ballots have been requested for the fall election, which Benson said puts Michigan on track to receive more than 3 million that are completed. Of the 7.7 million registered voters in Michigan, about 5 million are expected to participate in the upcoming election, officials said in August. About 10,000 absent voter ballots were rejected in Michigan’s Primary Election in August.

During his remarks Saturday, Michigan’s Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II condemned President Donald Trump and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Donald Trump is a liar who has killed people, straight up,” Gilchrist said. “We cannot afford another four years of this man at the helm," Gilchrist said of President Trump during his remarks. Trump frequently claims that he has done more for Black Americans than any president since President Abraham Lincoln. In response to the comment made by Gilchrist, the Michigan campaign for Trump said the president has acted aggressively in response to the pandemic.

While absent voter ballots provide a safe alternative to voting in person at the polls on Election Day, the process of counting absent voter ballots can determine how quickly, or not, final election results are announced. Processing absent voter ballots in MichiganThe process for counting absent voter ballots is different in each state. In Michigan, election workers are not allowed to begin processing absent voter ballots until 7 a.m. on Election Day. The previous record for absent voter ballots cast in a Michigan election was 1.3 million in the 2016 Presidential Election. Polling precincts will still be open for Michigan voters from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Most Michigan residents who are at least 18 years of age are eligible to register to vote and to vote. Michigan residents have the option to register to vote on the day of an election -- which, in this case, is Nov. 3. Once you’re officially registered to vote in Michigan, you will be assigned a physical polling location at which you can vote on Election Day. How to request an absent voter ballot in Michigan for the 2020 General ElectionIf you’re registered to vote and hoping to vote absentee in Michigan for the 2020 General Election but have not yet requested an absent voter ballot, don’t worry -- you still have time. Absent voter ballots will be mailed out to Michigan voters as early as 40 days before Election Day, which is September 24 for the 2020 General Election.

U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks in mid-Michigan on Thursday -- one day after former Vice President Joe Biden plans to visit the state. President Trump will speak in Freeland at 7 p.m. on Thursday at airport hangar Avflight Saginaw. The news of Trumps visit comes just after it was announced that former Vice President Joe Biden will also be visiting Michigan on Wednesday. He is the Democratic partys presidential nominee for the 2020 General Election. More: 2020 General Election coverage

The state of Michigan mailed absentee voting applications to all registered Michigan voters in May for this years August and November elections. Michigan voters who have already requested an absent voter ballot for the November election can begin receiving their ballot up to 40 days prior to Election Day -- which is September 24. If youre hoping to vote absentee in Michigan for the 2020 General Election but have not yet requested an absent voter ballot, dont worry -- you still have time. You can apply to receive an absent voter ballot on the states website right here. To check on the status of an absent voter ballot application, registered Michigan voters are encouraged to contact their city or township clerks office directly.

The state of Michigan mailed absentee voting applications to all registered Michigan voters in May for this years August and November elections. Filling out a Michigan absent voter ballot for the 2020 General ElectionOnce you receive your absent voter ballot in the mail, it simply needs to be filled out following the written instructions attached and returned before the deadline. Inside of your official Michigan absent voter ballot envelope is a brightly-colored secrecy sleeve containing your ballot. Returning your completed Michigan absent voter ballotCompleted absent voter ballots for the 2020 General Election must be received by your local clerks office by 8 p.m. on November 3. Packaging your absent voter ballot once its completedOnce youve filled out your Michigan absent voter ballot for the 2020 General Election, place it inside of the brightly-colored secrecy sleeve that it was initially presented in.