Dozens of Birmingham and Bloomfield Township voters have lined up at their clerk's offices to swap out absentee ballots since State Sen. Mallory McMorrow dropped out of the U.S. Senate race on July 5.
Bloomfield Township Clerk Martin Brook said 77 residents came in to spoil their ballots and revote in the eight days after McMorrow's withdrawal. His office had sent out 15,130 absentee ballots as of July 13, with 2,607 returned.
"We had very few the week before, and a spike after," Brook told Oakland Confidential.
In Birmingham, City Clerk Alexandria Bingham reported 53 spoiled ballots as of July 15, out of 1,106 returned from 6,236 sent. Those mid-July figures are likely higher now, as both offices have continued processing spoilage requests. Neither clerk can confirm why individual voters are requesting new ballots.
What voters can still do
The spoilage window remains open. Here are the key remaining deadlines, according to Birmingham's official election calendar:
- Thursday, July 31 at 5 p.m.: Deadline for clerks to mail a replacement ballot. Voters who have not yet returned their original absentee ballot and want a new one sent by mail must act by this date.
- Monday, August 3 at 4 p.m.: Last chance for voters who lost their ballot or never received it to request a replacement in person at the clerk's office.
Where to go
The Bloomfield Township Clerk's Office at 4200 Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills is open Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with extended hours on July 31 from noon to 5 p.m. and August 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Birmingham voters can visit the City Clerk's Office at 151 Martin Street or email [email protected].
Early in-person voting for the August 4 primary runs through August 2 at the Bloomfield Township Public Library, 1099 Lone Pine Road.
Why the surge
McMorrow, a Democrat who represents Royal Oak, Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, and parts of Detroit, suspended her campaign after absentee ballots had already been printed and mailed. Her name remains on the August 4 primary ballot, leaving the Democratic U.S. Senate race as a contest between U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens and former Wayne County health chief Abdul El-Sayed, according to the Detroit News.
The spoilage trend extends beyond Birmingham and Bloomfield Township. Royal Oak Clerk Melanie Halas reported 148 spoilage requests out of 15,560 ballots mailed. Troy Clerk Aileen Divison counted 74 requests from 20,167 ballots sent.
The winner of the August 4 Democratic primary will face Republican Mike Rogers in November for the seat being vacated by retiring U.S. Sen. Gary Peters.
