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Make Your Vote Count

A handy guide for college students.

Mary Ellen Gurewitz | Special to the Jewish News

P

erhaps this will be your first time
voting for president. Do some prep
work now so you’ll know your vote
will count Tuesday, Nov. 8.

ARE YOU REGISTERED?
Go to michigan.gov/vote to check your reg-
istration status. This will tell you if you are
registered and the precinct where you vote.

NOT REGISTERED?
You have until Oct. 11 to register to vote
in the Nov. 8 election. You must be a U.S.
citizen, at least 18 years old by election day
and a resident of the city or township where
registering.

WHERE DO YOU REGISTER?
You can register in person at the office
of your city or township clerk or at any
Secretary of State office. You can also register
by mail yourself (download the application
at michigan.gov/sos) or with some voter reg-
istration group, (like the League of Women
Voters) which will mail your application to

your clerk.

WHERE DO YOU VOTE?
You can only vote in the precinct where
you are registered. Find your precinct at
Michigan.gov/vote or call your local city or
township clerk

HOW CAN YOU VOTE?
You can vote in person at your precinct or,
if you are away at college or otherwise away
from your precinct, you can vote by absentee
ballot.
But — important qualification — if you
registered by mail and you are a first-time
voter, you must either vote in person or go
in person to your clerk’s office to request an
absentee ballot.

HOW DO YOU GET AN ABSENTEE
BALLOT?
You can download a form from Michigan.
gov/sos and mail, fax or email it to your local
clerk.

WHEN CAN YOU REQUEST
AN ABSENTEE BALLOT?
You must do it in time to receive your ballot
and return it. The absentee ballot is counted
only if it is received by the clerk by 8 p.m. on
election day.

CAN YOU VOTE EARLY?
Michigan does not have “early voting,” but
absentee ballots will be available at your
clerk’s office after Sept. 24. You can go to the
clerk’s office to vote an absentee ballot in
person. Check first to see when the office is
open.

CAN YOU VOTE AT YOUR COLLEGE
ADDRESS?
Yes, if you register at that address or change
your existing registration to that address. But
note — Michigan requires that a person
have the same address for driver’s license
and voter registration purposes. If you have

a Michigan driver’s license and you register
to vote at a Michigan college address, the
Secretary of State will automatically change
your driver’s license address to the address
where you register. (You can change it back
online after election day, if you wish.)
Also, if you want to register in another
state, be sure to check the law of that state as
the laws differ from one state to another.

WHAT ID DO YOU
HAVE TO SHOW?
If you register by mail and are a first-time
voter, you must show some acceptable photo
identification. A driver’s license or student
ID is acceptable. You will be asked to show
a photo ID, but if you don’t have it, you are
legally entitled to sign an affidavit that will
allow you to vote. *

Mary Ellen Gurewitz is a JCRC/AJC officer and mem-
ber of JCRC/AJC’s Government Relations Committee.

SACRIFICE
NOTHING

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32 September 29 • 2016

