Michigan voting system slowed to a crawl in primary. Could it happen again?

This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Sign up for Votebeat Michigan’s free newsletter here.

Around 5 p.m. on the day of the August primary, right as a huge number of voters got off work and headed to the polls, Michigan’s voter database slowed to a crawl.

Clerks described the situation as a nightmare — for anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on who you ask, it was nearly impossible to process absentee ballots or register new voters.

Now, less than a week before a midterm election that’s on pace to have record-high turnout, state officials say they’ve addressed the underlying problem. And while local clerks are optimistic that the technology won’t fail again, they’re prepared to handle it if a similar issue arises.

The database in question is known as the Qualified Voter File, or QVF. It keeps records on who voted, when, where, and more. Anything election-related a voter does is tracked there.

When a person registers to vote, that pings the QVF. Casting a ballot? Another ping. But some actions create more strain than others for the system behind the QVF and the people running elections. Registering someone to vote, for instance, can be a heavier lift, which can create problems on Election Day because Michigan voters have the right to register on Election Day at their clerk’s office.

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The state’s Department of Technology, Management & Budget — the office that hosts the QVF, although the database is ultimately controlled by the Department of State — told Votebeat that the slowdown on primary day was caused by “insufficient system resources and certain system processes consuming more time than we anticipated.”

To fix it, DTMB spokesperson Laura Wotruba wrote in an email, the state added “resources to increase system capacity” as well as additional monitoring to help address problems quickly.

“We are working closely with the Michigan Department of State, the Bureau of Elections, and other state and federal officials to maintain the safety, security, and smooth operation of election IT systems,” she wrote.

The Michigan Department of State is also not expecting problems from the QVF on Tuesday. During a press call last week, MDOS Chief of Staff Christina Anderson said the changes meant a more “streamlined” process.

“We’re pretty confident we won’t see that issue come up again and that clerks will be able to maintain their processes,” Anderson said.

Local election officials told Votebeat those changes are helping them feel better. Sterling Heights Clerk Melanie Ryska said the assurances from the state that the slowdowns seen in August will be a “non-issue” have put her mind at ease.

That’s not to say there are no concerns. For instance, in September, the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks sent an email to its members warning that fears about the reliability of the U.S. Postal Service could encourage more voters to cast their ballots in person this year.

In Michigan, nearly 2 million people are on the state’s permanent absentee list, meaning they get their ballot sent to them by mail each election. Those voters still have the right to vote in person if they prefer — but poll workers have to call into the clerk’s office and have someone with QVF access verify that the voter has not already returned their ballot. If a lot of voters choose that option on Tuesday, it could put an unusual strain on the QVF.

Michael Siegrist, the president of MAMC and Canton Township clerk, said Monday his members were “planning for every outcome.”

Ryska said she and her team are prepared for whatever comes their way; for instance, they have discussed their plans for what to do if the QVF slows down again.

“We clerks, we’re a very resilient bunch. We might get frustrated when it doesn’t go exactly the way we plan, but we tend to adapt to the situation at hand,” Ryska said. “Ultimately, we get the job done.”

Hayley Harding is a reporter for Votebeat based in Michigan. Contact Hayley at hharding@votebeat.org.