Close of Registration
Reminders:
The deadline to register for the upcoming November general election is October
6, 2008. It is important that county, city and township clerks or their sworn
assistants be available on the deadline to accept voter registrations.
Local clerks who do not maintain regular
office hours must make arrangements to be in their offices to accept voter
registrations on the deadline. As an option, clerks may accept voter
registrations at some other location within the jurisdiction. If an alternate
registration site is established, a notice which includes the address of the
alternate location and the hours the site will be open on October 6 must be
prominently posted on the exterior of city or township hall. While the law
does not specify the hours clerks must be available to accept voter
registrations, it is recommended that election officials be available
beginning from 9:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. on the day of the registration
deadline.
Close of
Registration Standards:
A Secretary
of State branch office, designated voter registration agency or county clerk
that accepts a completed voter registration application during the week that
precedes the "close of registration" for a November general election, the
application must forward the registration as appropriate within one business
day.
Michigan election law specifies that a voter
registration applicant who meets any of the following standards has fulfilled
the 30-day "close of registration" requirement for the upcoming election:
·
The elector
submits a voter registration application through a Secretary of State branch
office, a designated voter registration agency, a county clerk or their city
or township clerk's office on or before the "close of registration."
·
The elector
submits a voter registration application through the mail and it is postmarked
with a date that falls on or before the "close of registration." If the
postmark date is missing or unclear, the voter registration application meets
the "close of registration" for the election if 1) the clerk of the
applicant's city or township of residence receives the application within
seven calendar days after the "close of registration" date and 2) the
application is dated by the applicant on or before the "close of registration"
for the election.
Acceptance and Processing of Voter Registrations:
All voter registrations accepted in a Secretary of State branch office, in
person at the office of a county, city or township clerk, or other voter
registration agency on or before the deadline must be entered into the QVF as
early as possible prior to Election Day. In addition, a voter identification
card must be forwarded to all new registrants. The successful receipt of the
voter identification card by the voter serves as confirmation that he or she
resides at the address provided on the voter registration form. In addition,
while a voter identification card can not be accepted as proof of
qualification to vote, it serves to provide the voter with useful information
such as their polling place location, precinct number, legislative district
numbers, county commission district number, school district, etc.
Questions? Please contact the Bureau of
Elections at: 1-800-292-5973.
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