Housekeeping Reminders: As we approach Election Day there are a couple of issues that we wanted to bring to your attention.  Please make note of the following:

Voters Who Moved Out of State:  If a voter whose voter registration was cancelled because he or she applied for a driver license in another state, requests a ballot on or before Election Day, and indicates that it was not their intent to give up their voting rights in Michigan, the voter must be reinstated and allowed to vote.  In this case, make a notation of the date and reason for the reinstatement on the voter's original Master Card and file it in your Active file.   You will also need to change the voter's QVF status to "Active."    

Election Day Ballot Supplies: You must furnish each precinct with the number of ballots needed to ensure that a ballot will be available for every registered voter.  Additional ballots will also be required for spoilage and duplication purposes.  If you have any concerns regarding the number of ballots available for use at the polls, it is recommended that you immediately contact your county clerk to request that additional ballots be printed. 

Opening Tabulator Ballot Bins at the Polls on Election Day:  It may become necessary during the course of Election Day to open the tabulator main bin or write-in bin to rearrange or remove ballots if the compartments become full.  The following procedures should be followed when carrying out this task:    

·  The ballot bins must be opened by two election inspectors representing different political parties. 

·  All ballots removed from the ballot bin must be secured in a container that is placed behind the processing table where it can be seen by voters, challengers and poll watcher.  

·  While it is not required that the container used to secure the ballots be sealed, the container may be sealed at the discretion of the local clerk. 

·  The container used to secure the ballots may not be removed from the voting area.

·  A notation of the opening of the main bin or write-in bin for the rearrangement or removal of ballots must be fully documented on the Remarks page in the Poll Book.  The notation should include the time(s) that the bin was opened, the names of the inspectors that opened the bin and an explanation as to why the bin was opened.   

·  It is not necessary for election inspectors to publicly announce that the ballot bin is being opened.

Correction - Processing Federal Write-in Ballots (FWAB's):  As discussed in "NEWS YOU CAN USE" Issue #399 that was released on October 28, 2008, the votes cast on each FWAB must transferred to an optical scan ballot for tabulation in the precinct or absent voter counting board.  It was further advised that if the absentee ballots are counted in an absent voter counting board, the transferring of votes (duplication process) may be carried out at any point throughout Election Day.