CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — More than 1.5 million absentee ballots have been mailed to Michigan voters as of Monday, with more than 150,000 of those ballots already returned.
Voters who visited the drop box outside the clerk's office in Clinton Township on Thursday said the ability to vote absentee is easier and more convenient.
"I'm a disabled veteran, so it’s extremely convenient,” resident Bruce Duncan said.
"I love that. I think it’s wonderful," resident Tabitha Treber said. "I think everyone should be able to do that.”
However, ballot drop boxes have sparked some concern in recent years, and no one hears those concerns more than local clerks.
“The public has expressed a concern that ballot boxes might not be a safe opportunity or holding location for ballots, and that’s not true,” Clinton Township Clerk Kim Meltzer said.
For added security, Meltzer got a federal grant to upgrade from Ring cameras to high quality security cameras, putting four at each drop box. She can view a live feed of each camera from her phone and they all record 24/7 with roughly 90 days of storage.
“Just like you might have a security camera on your home to deter people from doing anything wrong, we do the same thing here,” Meltzer said.
The cameras capture the voter as they arrive and another camera captures the license plate as they leave. There's also a camera inside the drop box which can capture the voters face and how many ballots they put in. Another camera behind the drop box make sure no one tampers with it.
"They’re 5 megapixel cameras, and the night vision as well as the daytime use is incredible,” said Bob Jenkins, owner of RSI Audio Video in Armada. "The cameras go black and white at night if there’s no light and the quality is just as good."
The company installed the cameras in Clinton Township, which are powered by nearby solar panels. They also added cameras to drop boxes in a few other small communities.
“The people that we've talked to have really loved it," Jenkins said. "Not that there's tampering or anything, but the fact that it makes them feel more comfortable that the ballots are protected.”
So far just over 2,000 of the 18,000 ballots mailed out in Clinton Township have been returned, meaning there’s still thousands more Clinton Township residents who get to crack a smile for the new cameras.
“It's a little weird at first, but it’s fine, it’s good," Treber said. "It provides safety and security.”
“If it's helpful for the voters, then I think it’s great. Put them on,” Duncan said.
