Local clerks expect to be very busy in the days leading up to and including the Nov. 2 general election.
Reasons include lots of new voters and a strange rumor concerning the counting of absentee ballots.
Independence Township had 24,900 voters for the August primary election. New registration applications have brought that count to 25,475, according to Clerk Joan McCrary.
‘We’re way up there,? she said, noting efforts from advocacy groups to promote mail-in voter registration.
In Springfield Township, Clerk Nancy Strole said there are now more than 10,000 registered voters.
This fall has also seen an estimated 15 percent increase in requests for absentee ballots, with more than 4,000 sent out so far, McCrary said.
Strole didn’t have an exact number for Springfield Township, but said everyone is seeing an increase.
‘Every clerk’s office in the country has been flooded with absentee ballots and applications,? she said.
With those requests have also come multiple calls from voters complaining of reports that absentee ballots are not counted unless an individual race is too close to call.
Where the rumor started is unknown ? McCrary said one caller quoted a relative who work’s for a clerk’s office in California ? but she would love to see that rumor die.
‘Every single vote is counted,? she said, with a group of election workers assigned to that specific task beginning at 7 a.m. election day.
While every vote is counted, every ballot must be filed according to state law.
Clerks have already voiced concern that those who did voter registration by mail may not know of the requirement to vote in person in their first election.
In addition, both deadlines and the realities of time will affect those who wish to vote by absentee ballot. At this point, the best way to request an absentee ballot is in person at the appropriate clerk’s offices, which will be open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for that purpose. On Monday, Nov. 1, citizens may still vote by absentee ballot, but it must be in person at the clerk’s office before 4 p.m.
‘We’re hoping people will plan ahead,? Strole said. ‘Please don’t wait until the last minute.?
The attention given to this year’s general election leads McCrary to estimate local voter turnout of between 60 and 65 percent. Strole believes it could be as high as 75 percent.
McCrary recommends voters come to the polls between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. if at all possible to avoid potentially long lines.
Voters can save themselves some trouble by checking to be sure they’re at the right precinct location. Independence Township will have a worker with a computer at the door of each voting location to help verify registration and precinct.
‘We hope that will keep people from being in long lines at the wrong place,? McCrary said.
A federal judge’s decision requiring the counting of votes cast at the wrong precinct on ‘provisional ballots? does not make McCrary happy.
‘You only get to vote for federal officials? under that ruling, McCrary said, leading to the possibility of multiple ballots from the same voter. ‘We don’t want voters showing up in two places.?
Despite the court decision (which was under appeal at this writing) being at the right polling place ‘is critical if they want to make every vote count,? Strole said. ‘If people think they can go to any precinct, they will lose most of the votes on the ballot.?
In the City of the Village of Clarkston, City Manager/Clerk Art Pappas is happy about having onlyione voting precinct.
‘We do not have the provisional ballot problem,? he said, although voters who mistakenlyibelieve they are cityiresidents may be redirected to an Independence Township precinct.
Pappas did not care to speculate on voter turnout, but he knows it will be up.
‘I’m sure it’s going to be heavy because of the general election, and [the races for cityicouncil] are on the same ballot.?
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 2.
A voter’s precinct and voting location is listed on his or her voter registration card. In addition, polling places for the City of the Village of Clarkston and Independence Township are listed in the Public Notices section of this edition of The Clarkston News.
Local clerks invite citizens to call their respective municipal clerk’s offices for more election information.
In the City of the Village of Clarkston, call (248) 625-1559.
In Independence Township, call (248) 625-5111, extension 203, or visit the township Web site at www.twp.independence.mi.us.
In Springfield Township, call (248) 846-6510.