East Lansing is on target in preparing for the Aug. 8 primary, city officials said.

East Lansing City Clerk Sharon Reid said the city is collecting absentee ballots and preparing and testing new machinery geared at voters with disabilities.

So far the testing has shown the machines are working correctly, Reid said.

Reid said 44 percent of the absentee ballots sent out have been returned so far, which is a smaller return than usual.

She also said about 26,345 people are registered to vote so far, adding the number changes daily.

Ingham County is also preparing for the upcoming primary, County Clerk Mike Bryanton said. Absentee ballots have been sent and officials are preparing to test machines.

Reid said people trained on how to operate the new machines, which will be available at every precinct location.

The machines, called AutoMARK, have several different options for voters with disabilities.

There's a screen for people who can't use a pencil, ear phones so people with visual impairments can have their ballot read to them after they've made their choices and there's also a keyboard with Braille.

The machines are additionally equipped with a tube for people to either inhale or exhale into for those with limited physical movement, and there's also a foot pedal.

The new machines are a great advancement in helping people vote, said Kelly Chesney, spokeswoman for the Secretary of State.

"This is the first time in Michigan history we have been able to offer voters with disabilities the ability to cast their ballots without the assistance of another person in the booth," Chesney said.

The machines will be provided for voters in East Lansing, and 4,300 of them will be available statewide.

The cost of the equipment was about $34 million, Chesney said, and was funded by money provided by the Help America Vote Act of 2002.

The act requires states to have accessible equipment for voters with disabilities.

"Many voters with disabilities have never voted in a polling place, and this allows for the removal of barriers so they can vote with all the other voters," Chesney said.

The ballots from the AutoMARK machine can be counted and kept with ballots taken from the other machines, Chesney said.

She added that the new machines are one of many ways voting places have been made more accessible recently.

Accessible cuts have been made in curbs, handicapped parking spaces have been widened and signs have been installed for voters with disabilities, Chesney said.