- Early in-person voting is in full swing in swing-state Michigan
- More than 9,000 voters have already cast their ballots in Jackson County since early in-person voting began last Saturday
- Video shows Jackson County Clerk explaining how the ballots are processed before they're counted on Tuesday
Jackson County Clerk Cierra Sowle couldn't contain her excitement as she continued to see high numbers of early voters ahead of next Tuesday's general election.
"I'm so ecstatic to see so many people exercising their constitutional right," Sowle said. "I love it."
Michigan opened early in-person voting last Saturday and Sowle said Jackson County has seen more than 9,000 early ballots cast as of Tuesday.
WATCH: EARLY IN-PERSON VOTING BEGINS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
"We had just over 2,000 voters utilize early voting on the first day alone," Sowle said. "Each day after that has been over 1,000."
Because voter turnout is high, Sowle says security is tight to ensure those votes are recorded and counted next Tuesday.
Sowle says once the ballots hit the bins and the polls close, inspectors from both Republican and Democratic parties secure the votes in a ballot container.
Sowle says the ballots are then sealed and numbered before election workers begin their paperwork.
WATCH: HOW TO ENSURE YOUR VOTE COUNTS IN THE UPCOMING ELECTION
"We print the reports. We print the tabulator tape. We start doing the signing," Sowle said. "The election inspectors do a great deal of work to make sure all of those seals are recorded.
Depending on how long the lines are on election day, Sowle said it could take a few hours to get results counted and tabulated.
Sowle asks voters to stay patient amid an expected large voter turnout next week.
"We want to make sure that we're doing this accurate and successfully," Sowle said. "I would say after midnight in Jackson County before we start seeing some results."
Sowle also adds that those waiting in line before 8pm will have the chance to cast their vote. She said election inspectors can't close the polls until the last voter has cast their ballot.
"So if that takes until 10pm or 11pm at night, that will delay closing," Sowle said. "We want to make all those voters get those votes tabulated and then we can start the closing process."
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