ABOUT THE
GUIDE
The League
of Women Voters of Michigan contacted candidates for biographical information
and answers to questions on issues. The
answers are printed as submitted and have not been edited, except for necessary
cutting when replies exceeded the stated word limitations. If the candidate did not reply by the
required date for publication, the words “Did not reply in time for
publication” appear under the candidate’s name.
When a candidate exceeded the word limit the answer is ended with an
ellipsis (…).
Publication
of these statements and opinions of candidates is solely in the interest of
public service and in no way is to be construed as an endorsement by the League
of Women Voters. The League takes no
responsibility for any of the views or facts stated by the candidates.
(©2008, LWVMI)
The League
of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization established in 1920 to encourage
citizen participation in government. It
never supports or opposes any political party or candidates. Membership in the League of Women Voters is
open to all citizens of voting age. For
information about joining the League, please contact us at (517) 484-5383 or by
e-mail: office@lwvmi.org.
Tax-deductible
contributions to continue this non-partisan service are welcomed by the
League. Please send your check to:
League
of Women Voters of
(517) 484-5383
web site: www.lwvmi.org
LWVMI President........................... Jessica
Reiser
Voter Service Director........................ Sarah Delia
Voter Guide Coordinator.................. Judy Culham
The
League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the
informed and active participation in government, works to increase
understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy
through education and advocacy.
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Who Can Vote
You can vote if you’ve
registered to vote in
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Photo Identification
A photo ID is not required
in order for you to vote.
Unless you registered to vote
at your local clerk’s office or at a Secretary of State office, if you are a
new
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Absentee Voter Ballots
- Who can apply?
Registered voters can get an
absentee ballot from your local clerk for any of the following reasons:
You are:
60 years old or older
unable
to vote without assistance at the polls
expecting
to be out of town on election day
in jail
awaiting arraignment or trial
unable
to attend the polls due to religious reasons
appointed
to work as an election inspector in a precinct other than your own
- Where and when?
You can request an absentee
ballot by asking your clerk for an absentee ballot application. This application must be submitted to the
clerk no later than 2 pm the Saturday before the election. This application will ask which of the
reasons listed applies to you. You will
then receive an absentee ballot, which can be mailed to you in another state,
or overseas.
If you are a new Michigan
voter, and you registered to vote other than at a clerk’s or the Secretary of
State’s offices, you can vote using an absentee ballot the first time you vote only if you personally apply for the
ballot at your clerk’s office. This is
because you are subject to the Federal first-time voter ID requirements.
- Returning the ballot
An absentee ballot must be
returned to the clerk’s office by 8 pm on election day. Your ballot will not be counted unless your
signature on the return envelope matches your signature on file. Only you, a family member or person residing
in your household who is acting on your instructions, a mail carrier or an
election official can deliver your absentee voter ballot to the clerk’s office.
Note that anyone else who is in possession of another person’s absentee ballot
is guilty of a felony. If you mail back
your ballot, make sure it has enough postage on it. Due to size, extra postage is required.
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Write-in Candidates
To write-in the name of a person not on
the ballot and have your vote count:
If you want to write in the
name of someone who is not on the ballot, you may do so in the space provided.
Write-in votes will be counted only if that person has filed a declaration of
intent to be a write-in candidate as required by law.
If a candidate whose name is printed on the official ballot for the election
dies or is otherwise disqualified on or after the Wednesday immediately before
the election, no declaration of intent is necessary. In such a case, the board
of election inspectors will count all write-in votes for write-in candidates
for the office sought by the deceased or disqualified candidate.
To declare yourself
as a write-in candidate:
You must file a declaration
of intent to be a write-in candidate with the filing official for the office
you seek on or before 4 p.m. on the second Friday immediately before the
election (for the November 4 general election, that
would be Friday, October 24).
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How can I Vote if …
?
… I’m homeless
When you register to vote,
you may use the address of the shelter where you sleep or the two nearest
cross-streets to where you sleep at night.
… I have a criminal record
Unless you’re currently
incarcerated after conviction, you can vote.
Ex-offenders automatically regain the right to vote after completion of
a prison sentence. It is recommended
that ex-offenders update their voter registration after they leave jail or
prison.
… I’m awaiting trial in jail
You can vote by absentee
ballot. Your local clerk, if asked, will
send you an application for an absentee ballot and you can have your ballot
sent to you.
… I’m in the military
If you’re out of state in
the military, your last
… I’m a college student living away
from home
You must register to vote
where you maintain your principal residence in the state. You can register at your campus address or
your address where you previously resided if that is still your “principal”
residence. If you have a Michigan
Driver’s License, your license address
must be the same as your voter registration address and changing one of those
addresses will automatically change the other.
If you want to change where you’re registered to vote, do it 30 days
before the election so you’ll be on the list at the polls on election
day.
If you register to vote at
home and want to vote by absentee ballot, you need to either register to vote
in person at the local clerk’s office or a Secretary of State branch office or visit the clerk’s office before you ask for
an absentee ballot so that the clerk can verify your ID.
… English is not my primary language
In two townships in