It seems hard to believe that the election is right around the corner – on Tuesday, Nov. 3. In some ways, 2020 has been the longest year in history, and in other ways, it’s sped by at light speed.
And yet, here we are, with the 2020 presidential election just days away. Here are a few election notes from the Peninsula Township clerk’s office.
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Absentee Ballots
The state-mandated deadline to spoil an absentee ballot is 10 a.m. on Monday, November 2, 2020. The state-mandated deadline to request an absentee ballot is 4:00 p.m. on Monday, November 2, 2020.
If you still need to register to vote, you may do so up until 8 p.m. on Election Day, and then vote via absentee ballot or in-person at your precinct. Note that if you register to vote on Election Day, you must do so at the clerk’s office. You may not register at a precinct on Election Day.
If you are returning your absentee ballot by mail, it takes a single first-class stamp. If you would rather not mail your absentee ballot, simply drop it in the drop box outside the Peninsula Township offices.
Every absentee ballot in the drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day will be counted. The clerk’s office assures us that the drop box is safe and secure, and it is checked a minimum of three times a day. Note that if you’re returning a voted absentee ballot on Election Day, you must take it to the clerk’s office or drop it in the drop box. You may not drop it off at a precinct.
If you’d like to track the progress of your absentee ballot, visit www.mi.gov/vote. You can see exactly when your ballot was mailed to you, as well as when your voted ballot arrives back in the clerk’s office.
In-Person Voting and Precinct Hours
Registered voters in Precinct 1 who wish to vote in person will vote at the Peninsula Township Hall, 13235 Center Road. Registered voters in Precinct 2 who wish to vote in person will vote at First Congregational Church, 6105 Center Road, at the base of the Peninsula.
On Tuesday, Nov. 3 – Election Day – the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are in line at 8 p.m., you will be allowed to vote.
In addition to the clerk’s regular office hours, they will be open Saturday, October 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for anyone who needs to register, spoil a ballot, or ask an election-related question.
The Ballot
If you’d like to take a look at the ballot before voting, check it out here. On that page, you’ll be asked to fill in the election, county, jurisdiction and precinct, and it will show you the ballot for your precinct.
If you have any questions about elections, absentee or in-person voting, or which precinct you live in, visit the township’s website or contact the clerk’s office at (231) 223-7321.
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