Residents have until Monday, April 9 to register to vote in the May 8 election, Secretary of State Ruth Johnson announced.
“If you have not yet registered to vote, I encourage you to do so ahead of the upcoming May elections,” said Johnson, Michigan’s chief election officer. “Although these are local elections, they are still important. Also, Michigan has statewide elections coming this August, so this is the perfect opportunity to familiarize yourself with your polling place.”
Of Michigan’s 83 counties, 66 will hold elections. To find out if their community is holding an election, voters can visit www.Michigan.gov/vote for more information.
To register 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. Polls will be open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters may register by mail or in person at their county, city or township clerk’s office or by visiting any Secretary of State office. The mail-in form is available at www.Michigan.gov/elections. First-time voters who register by mail must vote in person in their first election, unless they hand-deliver the application to their local clerk, are 60 years old or older, are disabled or are eligible to vote under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
To check their registration status, residents may visit the Michigan Voter Information Center at www.Michigan.gov/vote. They can see their sample ballot and find their polling place. Residents also can find information on absentee voting, Michigan’s voter identification requirement, how to use voting equipment and how to contact their local clerk. The site can be easily viewed on a smartphone. Many voters also can update their voter registration status on www.ExpressSOS.com.
Voters who qualify may choose to cast an absentee ballot. As a registered voter, you may obtain an absentee ballot if you are age 60 or older; physically unable to attend the polls without the assistance of another; expecting to be absent from the community in which you are registered for the entire time the polls will be open on Election Day; in jail awaiting arraignment or trial; unable to attend the polls due to religious reasons or will be working as an election inspector in a precinct outside of your precinct of residence.
Voters with absentee ballots are encouraged to put those ballots in the mail by Tuesday, May 1 to ensure timely delivery. Those who wish to receive their absentee ballot by mail must submit their application by 2 p.m. Saturday, May 5. Absentee ballots can be obtained in person anytime through 4 p.m. Monday, May 7. Voters who request an absentee ballot in person on Monday, May 7, must fill out the ballot in the clerk’s office. Emergency absentee ballots are available under certain conditions through 4 p.m. on Election Day.
Media in this post courtesy of Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson. Tune into our local and state newscasts, anytime day or night, for this story and more.
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