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7 UpFront: Benson, Nessel discuss election security, absentee ballots

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(WXYZ) — Being just over a month away from this year's presidential election, there are still many questions and concerns about making sure your vote counts.

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That's the focus of tonight's 7 UpFront segment.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Michigan State Attorney General Dana Nessel talk about election security and absentee ballots.

There are a record number of absentee ballot requests this year. Many voters have likely already received them. What do voters need to know to make sure their ballot is counted on time?

"Voters can track their ballots if they do choose to vote from home at our website: michigan.gov/vote to confirm it's been received," Benson said. "And they can return it one of three ways: Through their local drop box, in person at their local clerk's office, or through the mail. But if they do the latter and respond and send it through the mail, we want them to do it as soon as possible, but no later than Oct. 20. That's about two weeks prior to Election Day. And that's what they'll need to do to ensure that it gets received in time to count."

RELATED: Michigan at record 2.5 million absentee ballot requests for November election

Intimidation and voter suppression is a big concern this election season. On Thursday, Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that charges were filed over false voter robocalls.

"We had a number of calls come into the state. Thousands of them specifically targeting voters in Detroit," Nessel said. "And we think it was an effort to dissuade and discourage African American voters from voting, and it contained a lot of false information about absentee voting.

Nessel said that on Election Day, the state is coordinating with law enforcement across the state so that residents have nothing to fear regarding voting in person. In addition to precautions that will keep voters safe during the pandemic, Nessel adds that law enforcement will be on the look out for intimidation at the polls.

RELATED: Judge rules absentee ballots postmarked by Nov. 2 can be counted in election

"I think the message that we're trying to send is that we're sick and tire of it," Nessel said."We're tired of people trying to intentionally intimidate voters and suppress the vote. And that we will take legal action and prosecute those who violate the law to the fullest extent."

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