Early voting now underway

"It is officially election season here in Michigan," Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson declared at a press conference last week at Pontiac City Hall.

How it works: Any Michigan voter can use an absentee ballot to cast their vote before Aug. 1 at 4 pm.

• The ballots, available at city and township clerk's offices, can be returned by 8 pm on election day either at those clerk's offices, drop boxes or through the mail during the 40 days before the Aug. 2 election.

Context: In 2020, Benson's office mailed absentee ballot applications to every registered voter partly due to the pandemic, but this year you'll have to request an absentee ballot application.

• Request your ballot in person and you can cast your votes all in the same visit.

What they're saying: "We want to encourage everyone to start making a plan to vote," Benson said.

• There are 13 satellite voting locations and 20 drop boxes across the city managed by the Detroit Department of Elections.