Eastern Wayne Today

Great Lakes Wire sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Wayne County Elections Division to request voter information on returned absentee ballots. 

Recent reports show some jurisdictions in the county have return rates as high as 40%. 

“The names of those voters are either civic-minded citizens from whom we can take lessons, or the product of a massive fraud intended to tilt the election," Edward "Coach" Weinhaus, managing partner, FOIASolved, told Eastern Wayne Today. "In either case, the names of voters and their information is public information which my clients have requested."

FOIASolved is a multistage law firm handling FOIA litigation.

Great Lakes Wire sent the FOIA request to Wayne County asking for a "list of all voters who have requested and returned absentee ballots in the City of Detroit for 2024 Election cycle."

Michigan has issued 2,204,538 absentee ballots, as of October 16, and received back just over 30% of them, with 672,380 ballots returned across the state. 

Wayne County has returned the most absentee ballots in the state for the 2024 election season, having returned 119,321. The top municipality for absentee ballot returns is Detroit, within Wayne County, with 41,135 ballots returned, which is 40% of issued absentee ballots, the highest return rate in the state. Detroit is the most populated city in the state, with a population of over 620,000.

In the 2020 election, Michigan issued 3,318,609 absentee ballots and received 2,841,696, or 85.6% of them back. Wayne County jurisdictions issued 556,252 ballots in the 2020 election, with a 77.4% return rate. 

Absentee ballots can be returned up to and on election day. Mail in ballots must be received by the election office by 8 p.m. on election day. Absentee ballots can returned in person up to and on election day. 

Early in person voting in Michigan varies by jurisdiction, with some areas opening up early voting on October 19. All early in person voting periods end on Sunday, November 3.