Until now, Goodrich residents voted for the village council in March, and cast school board ballots in June. But thanks to a revamped election law locals can start marking 2005 calendars with new election dates.
Under Michigan Public Act 298, the election consolidation law signed Jan. 8 by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, elections will be limited to four per year, generally held in February, May, August, and November.
Providing voters consistency and maximum opportunity to vote is the aim, says Rep. Ruth Johnson (R-Groveland Township), a sponsor of the bill.
‘So many times we’ve received complaints,? said Johnson, citing instances of schools not sending out absentee ballots, or alleged ‘stealth? elections like that held in the Oakland Intermediate School District in 2001.
‘What people don’t understand is that different people run the elections.?
When election changes are implemented next year, superintendents will no longer oversee school elections.
Instead, a school district election coordinator will be appointed; the clerk of the township in which the largest number of school electors reside: Brandon school elections will be coordinated by the Brandon Township clerk, while Goodrich school elections will be coordinated by the Atlas Township clerk.
‘It’ll be just one more election,? said Atlas Township Clerk Tere Onica.
Although Onica maintains that schools districts have ‘done their best?, lack of training and experience have made it difficult for districts to efficiently run an election, she says, resulting in complaints to the Atlas Township clerk’s office.
As Atlas Township elections typically have a high turnout rate, exceeding 70 percent, Onica is confident the measure will increase school voter turnout.
Karen McArthur, election coordinator for Brandon Township, agrees.
At Brandon school elections, the district has been ‘happy to get 200? out of about 4,000 registered voters, said McArthur. In contrast, Brandon Township has a turnout of nearly 40 percent or higher when presidential elections are also being held.
While potentially fewer election dates and the consistency of a voter using only one polling location may draw more voters, some worry it may be overwhelming.
‘If you’ve got pages and pages, are you really going to keep turning the pages to vote in the village election?? said Jakki Sidge, Goodrich Village administrator.
Cost-cutting is being touted as another benefit of combining elections, especially for school districts dealing with shrinking budgets.
‘The schools compensate a reasonable amount, and save more dollars earmarked for education,? said Johnson.
The Brandon School District paid $5,781 in election costs this year, said Brandon Schools Superintendent Bart Jenniches while the June 2003 election held by Goodrich Schools cost $1,217.
Jenniches isn’t entirely sure about the savings.
‘We still have advertising, attorneys are still involved, unless the township is going to absorb all costs,? he said.
According to Goodrich School records, when the district combined the 2003 Mott Community College Board of Directors election with the Goodrich Schools election, Goodrich charged Mott only for the additional advertising costs associated with publishing election dates. While legal interpretation of the law is still murky, school districts possibly could follow Mott’s example.
‘They pay only what can be proven is extra,? said Johnson.
The new law provides for additional elections, in exceptional cases. A special election may be called by the governor or legislature, or in certain instances by a school district to borrow money, increase a millage, or establish a bond after gathering elector signatures.