To accommodate overseas voters, Michigan changes start dates for local officials
Michigan’s first election legislation of the 2025-26 session has made it over the finish line — and more voters could see their ballots counted as a result.
On Monday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed four bills into law that would delay the start of some local officials’ terms. The laws are designed to ensure that people don’t take office until every vote is counted in their elections.
In many communities, local officials previously took office almost immediately after Election Day, meaning ballots counted later might not be considered at all. That functionally disenfranchised military voters or those voting from overseas, whose ballots can be counted as long as they arrive within six days of an election.
In November 2024, for instance, 1,440 ballots were returned in that six-day window — 303 from military voters and 1,137 from civilians overseas.
https://www.votebeat.org/michigan/2026/06/23/to-accommodate-overseas-voters-michigan-changes-start-dates-for-local-officials/