Election Day is less than a week away and local voters have their fair share of proposals and candidates to consider on August 4. We hope that you’ll exercise your right to vote and take an active role in deciding who represents you at all levels of government.
Some of the rules have changed recently and we believe it’s worth reviewing them plus other basic regulations that can be misunderstood or forgotten in between trips to the polls.
•You can register to vote up to and on election day. To be eligible to vote, applicants must be at least 18 years old by election day and U.S. citizens. Applicants also must be residents of Michigan and of the city or township in which they wish to register for at least 30 days prior.
•No reason absentee voting is now allowed which means that residents can vote by mail or in advance of election day. With less than a week to go, the Secretary of State typically suggests that anyone wanting to utilize this option should deliver ballot requests and voted ballots in person rather than relying on the mail.
•Some township, city and village offices will be open this weekend to assist voters with registering or getting absentee ballots.
•Because this is a primary election, you must choose to vote on either the Democrat or Republican half of the ballot, but not both. Those partisan races will appear at the top of the ballot. Non-partisan elections—that includes judicial races and ballot proposals—will appear further down the ballot.
•You can view a sample ballot in advance of election day and, if you can, you should. This is particularly useful for independent voters who must choose which side of the ballot to vote on (see above!) in primaries.
•If you choose to vote in person, you’ll be asked to present picture identification at the polls, or sign an affidavit attesting that you are not in possession of picture identification. Acceptable forms of ID include drivers licenses, passports and student or military ID cards. It doesn’t need to have your address. Registered voters who don’t have identification or forget to bring it can still vote as long as they sign an affidavit.
•Polls are open on Tuesday, August 4 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Don’t forgo the chance to have your voice heard. Get out and vote!
