LANSING, Mich.— Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and state officials held a press conference Monday to discuss the state's response to COVID-19.

During the press conference, Whitmer discussed the creation of the Michigan COVID-19 Office of Accountability, which will provide oversight and transparency for the state’s spending during the crisis

Whitmer is encouraging Michigan voters to vote absentee on May 5 for local elections.

About 50 communities are holding elections in Michigan on May 5, according to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Many clerks decided to postpone elections until August. 

Benson said that many of the communities who are stilling holding elections on Tuesday are doing so in order to fund school districts in the fall.

In March, Whitmer signed an Executive Order expanding absentee voting for the May elections. 

The order allowed the Department of State to help jurisdictions mail absentee ballot applications to every register voters and to provide absentee ballots directly to newly registered voters 

All local jurisdictions must keep at least one polling location open for those who wish to vote in-person or who are unable to vote by mail, according to the order.

Visit the state’s website for information about which communities are holding elections on May 5.