Page 19 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - June 2020 - 27-06

Senior Times - June 2020 Absentee Voting:
Page 19
Attorney at Law
It’s Your Right
Stacey Lott
By: Sherii Sherban, Publisher
All registered voters are now eligi- ble to vote by mail.
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Due to the passage of the statewide ballot proposal 18-3, all eligible and registered voters in Michigan may now request an absent voter ballot with-
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out providing a reason. According to Michigan Voter Information Center, “It's a safe way to vote and protect your health, and the process is secure and accurate.”
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This constitutional amendment also gives people the ability to register
to vote on Election Day, and to vote straight ticket. Before 2018, you had
to be a senior citizen, have a physical disability, or know you would be out of town on Election Day, among other rea- sons.
home address or any address outside of your city or township of residence.
Your request for an absent voter
(AV) ballot must be in writing and can be submitted to your city or township clerk. (For assistance in obtaining the address of your city or township clerk, visit Michigan.gov/Vote.) You must request an absent voter ballot by submit- ting the application available online at https://www.michigan.gov/documents/ sos/AVApp_535884_7.pdf, or sending
a letter or postcard, or completing a pre-printed application form obtained from your local clerk's office. Requests may be returned by hand, via postal mail, fax, or email, as long as a signa- ture is visible.
After receiving your AV ballot, you have until 8pm on Election Day to complete the ballot and return it to the clerk's office.
When filling out the application, if you check the box to be added to the permanent absent voter list, you'll get an application mailed to you before every election.
If an emergency, such as a sudden ill- ness or family death prevents you from reaching the polls on Election Day, you may request an emergency absent voter ballot. Requests for an emergency ballot must be submitted after the deadline for regular absent voter ballots has passed but before 4pm on Election Day. The emergency must have occurred at a time that made it impossible for you to apply for a regular AV ballot. Please contact your local clerk for more information about emergency absent voter ballots.
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Requests to have an AV ballot mailed to you must be received by your clerk no later than 5pm the Friday before the election. If you’re already registered at your current address, you can request an AV ballot in person at your clerk’s office anytime up to 4pm on the day prior to the election.
E M B R A C E
T H E
P O S S I B I L I T I E S
If you’re registering to vote or updat- ing your address by appearing at your clerk’s office on Election Day, you can request an AV ballot at the same time you register. If you request your AV ballot the day before the election or on Election Day, you must vote the ballot in the clerk's office.
If a voter has already voted absentee and wishes to change their vote, a voter can spoil their ballot by submitting a written request to their city or township clerk. An absentee ballot may be spoiled in person at the clerk’s office until 4pm the Monday prior to the election. The voter can obtain a new absentee ballot there or vote at the polls.
Once the local clerk receives your request, your signature on the request will be checked against your voter reg- istration record before a ballot is issued. You must be a registered voter to receive an AV ballot, but you can register and apply for an absent voter ballot at the same time. Requests for AV ballots are processed immediately. Absent voter ballots may be issued to you at your
Publisher’s Note: As a local mature adult it is likely that you are already registered to vote and have been receiv- ing your absentee ballot in the mail for some time. This is your opportunity to vote and it should not be taken lightly.
It is OK to ask for assistance in com- pleting your ballot but do not let anyone force you to complete your ballot in any way that is different from your personal choices. If you are concerned, or need more assistance, reach out to your clerk.
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Your ballot will not be counted unless your signature is on the return envelope and matches your signature on file. If you received assistance vot- ing the ballot, then the signature of the person who helped you must also be on the return envelope.
The Village of
Only you, a family member or person residing in your household, a mail car- rier, or election official is authorized to deliver your signed absent voter ballot to your clerk's office.
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