DETROIT (FOX 2) – In this election, absentee ballots will play another key role in deciding how voters cast their ballots and how long it may take to project a winner.

Absentee voting is not new in every US election cycle, but in recent years, it has become a controversial topic when discussing concerns about voter fraud.

In 2020, absentee voting became a major talking point in politics as the country was in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has made many voters worried about getting sick of going out in person to vote. This led to a high turnout in absentee voting, with 3.3 million cast by the end of the election.

Detroit was thrust into the spotlight then President Donald Trump took photos of the ballot tabulation process in Democratic-led cities, making false claims of voter fraud.

Four years later, the city of Detroit could find itself back in the news cycle with Michigan at the center of the 2024 election. This is the first year that cities like Detroit can begin the process of tabulating ballots before Election Day.

Monday was the first day poll workers began pre-processing them. Here’s what that entails and how election workers check mail-in ballots before counting them.

Counting of absentee ballots

Absentee ballot counting follows a four-step process that is overseen by workers at each stage. That starts with checking your mail-in ballot.

An individual scrutineer takes one of four steps when counting ballots on election night.

Step 1 – Check each ballot

Workers begin counting the ballot envelopes from each packet on the mail tray, while verifying that each number of ballots matches the total number of ballots returned on the Basent Voters List (AVL).

Each package of 50 ballots is removed from the mail tray, where workers confirm voter signatures, election date, clerk staff initials, correct counting committee and date received.

Step 2 – Remove each ballot from its envelope

Workers then write the early registration day or election date and a number on each ballot envelope. From there I take out the secret sleeve with the ballot and give it to the next inspector who confirms if it is a match.

If it’s a match, the blank ballot is stacked with the voter’s information face down, each lot placed in a black tub.

Step 3 – Prepare each ballot for registration

The ballot is removed from the ballot and placed in an envelope, while the ballot is removed from the secret sleeve and placed in the ballot tray to be tabulated.

Step 4 – Enter the ballot in the tab

The ballot is taken from the tray and inserted into the tabulator. Once all the ballots in the packet have been tabulated, the number on the tabulator is recorded.

All ballots are then removed from the container under the tabulator and placed with the ballots in the audit ballot sleeve. Ballots from the writing basket are also added in a separate sleeve.

Accounting for issues and other variables

With this process, issues may still occur, which is why there are additional steps to ensure that issues are resolved in any case.

Some problems include when the ballot number on the slip does not match the ballot number on the envelope it arrived in. Other problems can include if the ballot is not signed. Sometimes envelopes are returned without a slip.

If any of these issues occur, the Ward Supervisor will note as such beforehand

If the ballot number on the slip does not match the ballot number on the envelope, the precinct supervisor will record the counting board number and the reason for the appeal.

Sometimes poll workers may need to duplicate ballots. If an absentee ballot is torn, came from a military member, or the tab says “ambiguous or misread,” then absentee ballot workers will go through a three-step process to duplicate an absentee ballot. vote.

Steps to duplicate a ballot

A precinct supervisor takes a blank ballot, then labels and numbers the original ballot and the duplicate ballot. From there, one worker reads how the individual voted and another completes the duplicate ballot.

Both the workers and the supervisor, all initial both ballots have the process is completed.

The original ballot is placed in the original ballot envelope, while the duplicate is tabbed.

Ballot contestants nominated by their respective political parties are allowed in the 2024 general election. These contestants are meant to monitor the integrity of the election.

The rules that challengers must follow are listed below: