Hello Votebeat readers,

It’s Oralandar Brand-Williams, senior reporter/writer for Votebeat Michigan.

Although the year is winding down, there’s still a lot of election-related news and developments going on in the state.

On Thursday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law 23 new expansive elections bills which include adding severe criminal penalties for intimidating elections workers and rules governing AI content in campaign ads and literature.

Among those bills signed into law is House Bill 4983, a new Michigan law allowing those leaving prison to automatically register to vote.

The new law, the first of its kind in the country, includes automatic voter registration for those leaving prison after serving convictions for felonies.

Also in Michigan, clerks are preparing for a primary in February and the official launch of early voting, which was approved by Michigan voters in November 2022. Cities, townships and villages across the state will be able to offer at least nine days of early voting at city clerks’ offices and other government-approved sites around the state.

Last month, nearly 40 cities, townships and villages took part in a pilot implementation of early voting during the Nov. 7 local elections. The unofficial rollout was deemed a success. While turnout was low with around 4,600 voters taking part, the experience did go smoothly for both voters and clerks.

Some residents who tried out early voting said they liked the convenience that it provides.

Will you take part in early voting for the Feb. 27 primary election? If so, reply to this email about it and share your thoughts.