Michigan breaks records in first-ever early voting period during presidential election

Battleground Michigan had over 1.2 million people cast their ballots during its early voting period for the 2024 general election.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson happily announced on Monday that the state broke several records.

The citizens of Michigan voted overwhelmingly to give themselves the right to vote in person early for at least nine days before any statewide election," Benson said at a news conference on Election Day eve.

According to the state's , a total of 1,214,444 people cast an early in-person vote since October 26. Many of them were first-time voters, according toBenson.

An early voting center in Romulus, in a western suburb of metro Detroit, ran out of the "first-time" voters stickers by the weekend.

Voters waited in line for up to an hour at some early voting centers.

"One of the things I saw more than anything else, was that a lot of voters showed up with their kids, inviting them to witness history, be a part of history, in the hopes of inspiring and preparing our youngest Michiganders and these future voters to inherit our democracy, but most importantly all across the state,"Benson said.

The state secretary was optimistic about the swing state continuing to break records as they head into the final day of voting.

"We are on pace to see another high turnout election, with voters all across the state, enthusiastic and engaged. First between mail, in ballots and in-person early votes cast, nearly 3.2 million Michiganders have already participated so far in this election. That's 44% of active registered voters turning out already before the traditional election day even begins,"she added.

Michigan saw the highest early voting turnout day on Sunday with more than 189,000 people cast their ballot.

Women and younger voters, particularly those aged 18-30, showed increased engagement.

As of Monday, Women cast 55% of the ballots that have been submitted.

As of polls closing night, 12.5% of the total votes cast came from 18 to 30-year-olds, More than 17% of those young voters took advantage of in-person early voting, according to Benson.

Voters can still cast ballots in person or return mail-in ballots by 8 p.m. on November 5.

Benson said the first wave of unofficial results will be released after 9 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday with 82% of mail-in ballots already returned.

About 77 million Americans already have voted early. Either result on Election Day will yield a historic outcome. A Trump victory would make him the first incoming president to have been indicted and convicted of a felony, after his hush-money trial in New York. He will gain the power to end other federal investigations pending against him. Trump would also become only the second president in history to win non-consecutive White House terms, after Grover Cleveland in the late 19th century.

Harris is vying to become the first woman, first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to reach the Oval Office — four years after she broke the same barriers in national office by becoming President Joe Biden's second in command.