This coming Tuesday, residents in the Imlay City School district will decide the fate of a $36 million bond proposal and, it’s possible, a good number of them won’t visit their polling station that day. That’s because the November 5 election marks the first time in the Tri-City area that local voters can take advantage of the state’s relatively new “no reason” absentee, a constitutional amendment approved by voters one year ago. Additionally, prospective voters now have the ability to register to vote on election day.
Whether you can vote on Tuesday or not, it’s worth paying attention to the new rules. Next year will be a big one for elections. Voters will head to the polls three time in 2020—March, August and November—and chances are that you or someone you know might not lose their chance to vote because of these new allowances.
Although the new rules offer voting flexibility, there are still strict deadlines that voters must abide by.
For those who’d like to have an absentee ballot mailed to them in time for Tuesday’s election, an application must be received by their city/village/township clerk by this Friday at 5 p.m. To request an absentee ballot in person, voters must stop by their clerk’s office before 4 p.m. on Monday. Regardless of how they receive a ballot, it must be returned to the clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on election day.
Those who register to vote in the coming days can also receive an absentee ballot but, if that happens on either Monday or Tuesday of next week, they’ll need to cast their ballot at that same time in the clerk’s office.
It’s worth noting that voter identification rules still stand. Voters either need to provide the proper ID at the polls or sign an affidavit.
Now that residents have more voting options, let’s hope they take advantage of them and make their voices heard at the ballot box.
