LANSING, Mich. — A choice made by the elections clerk in Warren, Michigan’s third-largest city, has sparked concerns over a potential delay in reporting election results on the night of the upcoming election. This decision comes at a time when both presidential campaigns are focusing their attention on Macomb County, which also hosts a highly competitive congressional race.

The Warren city clerk, who oversees elections in the city, has chosen not to utilize a new state law that permits election offices to begin processing mail-in ballots prior to Election Day. Most voting areas in this pivotal swing state are opting to take advantage of the law, which allows them to verify signatures and other identifying details up to eight days ahead of time.

City Clerk Sonja Djurovic Buffa explained her reasoning for this decision, citing other operational changes for election officials this year, including the expansion of early voting. She believes processing mail-in ballots only on Election Day, as has been the norm for years, is a more efficient method. Additionally, she expressed concern that preprocessing might lead to early leaks of election results.

“Prioritizing accuracy is my main focus, followed by speed,” noted Buffa, who has extensive experience in election management spanning over two decades.

According to the new law, which is part of a wider 2022 citizen initiative that also improved early voting options, municipalities with populations above 5,000 are given the choice to start processing absentee ballots early, though they are not mandated to do so. Just as in previous elections, results will only be disclosed after the polls close.

Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini, a Republican, expressed disappointment regarding Buffa’s decision. He warned that it could lead to delays in unofficial election results on that night, emphasizing that voters both in Michigan and nationwide will be looking to the county for updates in closely contested races.

The importance of Macomb County is underscored by its role in statewide elections, as it encompasses part of Michigan’s 10th Congressional District, where there is a competitive rematch between incumbent Republican John James and Democratic challenger Carl Marlinga.

Warren, the most populous city in the county, has historically been a Democratic stronghold, contrasting with Macomb County’s recent Republican leanings, evident in Donald Trump’s wins in both the 2016 and 2020 elections.

The window for clerks to inform the Secretary of State’s office about their plans for preprocessing absentee ballots has closed. Angela Benander, a spokesperson for Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, indicated that 245 municipalities are embracing the new law for early processing, with smaller communities getting a one-day head start instead of the full eight days.

“Notably, every one of the 15 largest jurisdictions, with the exception of Warren, will be processing ballots early,” Benander stated in a written comment.

Meanwhile, Michael Siegrist, clerk of Canton Township, remarked that not processing ballots in a densely populated city like Warren would result in longer waits for election outcomes. He pointed out that the public’s expectation for immediate results on election night could contribute to the spread of misinformation.

“People tend to fill in the void of information with their own narratives,” Siegrist cautioned during a call with reporters.