Voting opens today for Michigan's 2024 Presidential Primary

THOUGH MORE THAN 1 MILLION MICHIGANDERS HAVE ALREADY CAST THEIR BALLOT EARLY 7 ACTION NEWS REPORTER PETER MAXWELL IS LIVE OUTSIDE THE DETROIT DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS THIS MORNING WITH THE VOTES THAT ARE ALREADY IN PETER. >> ALL ABOUT 55, 56 MINUTES, ACTUALLY UNTIL OF THESE POLLS OPEN. YOU CAN SEE THEY’VE ALREADY GOT THE BALLOT BOXES ALREADY UP. AND THE DO HAVE ELECTION WORKERS ALREADY IN SIDE OF THE BUILDING. WE HAVE BEEN SEEING PEOPLE COME INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS HERE IN STARTING AROUND 5 O’CLOCK PICKING A BOUNCE GOING TO WORK EARLY. THEN THEY’RE GOING TO BE

COMINGBACK TO CAST THEIR VOTES. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MICHIGAN HISTORY, PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO VOTE EARLY IN PERSON AND THE LARGEST TURNOUT CAME DOWN TO THE CITY OF DETROIT. >> MICHIGANDERS TOOK ADVANTAGE OF EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING WITH THE FINAL WEEKEND BEFORE THE PRIMARY IN PROPOSAL WAS PASSED TO EXPAND VOTING OPTIONS IN MICHIGAN AND UNDER THE NEW RULES THE STATE HAS TO OFFER 9 DAYS OF EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING FOR 8 HOURS PER DAY. STARTING TO SATURDAY’S BEFORE ELECTION DAY AND ENDING ON THE SUNDAY BEFORE ELECTION DAY ON MONDAY. SECRETARY OF STATE JOCELYN BENSON SAYS MICHIGAN

SAW A 13% HIGHER PRE-ELECTION DAY TURNOUT THAN IN 2020, DESPITE BOTH PARTIES HAVING LEADING CANDIDATES, 30% OF ACTIVE REGISTERED VOTERS IN MICHIGAN TURNED OUT FOR EARLY IN-PERSON AND ABSENTEE VOTING.

>> THE CITY OF DETROIT WHERE WE SAW THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTERS PARTICIPATING EARLY AND ABSENTEE. YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT AND YOU HAVEN’T RETURNED IT. YOU CAN RETURN IT TO YOUR LOCAL CLERK’S OFFICE. >> AND NOW WE’RE JUST ABOUT 54 MINUTES AWAY UNTIL THE POLLS OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR THE PRIMARY DAY HERE AND FROM 07:00AM UNTIL 08:00PM. NOW, IF YOU ARE IN LINE AFTER 08:00PM WAITING TO CAST

YOUR BALLOT, YOU WILL STILL BE ABLE TO CAST YOUR BALLOT WITH NO