Whitmer, Benson defend election integrity amid Trump attacks

Michigan's Democratic governor and top elections official on Wednesday defended the integrity of the election amid continued attacks from President Donald Trump saying results may take longer in close contests because of the surge in absentee voting in the battleground state, but that every valid ballot would be counted.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer encouraged people to take advantage of their right to cast an absentee ballot for any reason, including in person at their clerk's office, to reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus at a polling place on Election Day. She echoed calls for anyone who still has a ballots to either hand-deliver them to clerks or put them in secure drop boxes instead of mailing them. Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on election night to be counted.

Trump has baselessly suggested there is “massive fraud” in mail-in voting, saying the election is “rigged.” He said Wednesday that he hopes courts will not allow states to “take a lot of time” after Nov. 3 to count votes.

“Depending on how close these races are, it may take a few days to determine who the winners are,” Whitmer said. “That's OK. Our local election clerks across the state will be working to get the count right. That's what really matters.”

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, said more than 2.4 million absentee ballots had been returned out of 3.2 million-plus that were requested. She said people's votes will count, and she urged voters to be vigilant against attacks that “seek to challenge our faith in this very strong elections process that we've built.”

Whitmer and other top state officials warned against voter intimidation, saying it is illegal. The state has appealed a lower judge's decision that would block Benson's ban on the open display of guns near polling places on Election Day.

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