Press Release

Current Election Information

October 27, 2004

Election officials nationwide expect heavy turnout on the November 2^nd Election Day.  Record numbers of voters have requested Absent Voter Ballots.  In anticipation of the projected heavy turnout, the Owosso City Clerk offers the following information and suggestions to help make Election Day run smoothly for you.

EXPECT LONG LINES AND EXPECT HEAVY TRAFFIC DURING THE TIMES WHEN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WILL BE OPENING AND CLOSING – FROM 8:30 – 9:00 A.M. AND 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.  We will be doing everything that can to keep the lines short and moving along.

Prior to heading to the polls, verify that your voter registration is current and where your polling place is located.  An easy way to check your voter registration status and the location of your polling place is to go to the Michigan Secretary of State’s website at www.michigan.gov/vote.  Just by entering your name, you will be able to find out if you are registered to vote and where you should go to vote.  You are also able to view or print a copy of your ballot at this website.   This will allow you time to review the ballot prior to going to the polls.

If you do not have access to the Internet or do not find your name, you may contact your local clerk to verify your status and polling place location.  If you need to contact the City Clerk’s office to verify your status and polling location, we encourage you to do this prior to Election Day.  Our telephone lines are already very busy and we want to make sure that your questions get answered in time.

A few additional things to remember:

1)         State Election Law requires that your driver’s license or state issued ID address match your voter registration address.  You can’t have a Flint address on your driver’s license and register to vote in Owosso.  Any time you move and change your driver’s license address – this activity changes your voter registration address.

2)         The deadline for registering to vote for the November 2^nd election was October 4^th.  Anyone who registered to vote after that date is not eligible to vote in the November 2^nd election.

Make sure that you have kept your registration receipt from the local clerk or Secretary of State’s office that shows when you registered to vote until you receive your Voter ID card from the local clerk.  You are encouraged to have current picture identification when you go to vote.

3)               The voting precincts in the City of Owosso were realigned in 2002 as a result of the redistricting required by the 2000 Census.  There were limited changes.  Some of the voters who previously voted at Central School now vote at Emerson School and some voters who previously voted at Bryant School now vote at Central School.  Again, the easiest way to find out what polling place you should go to is by checking the State website or by calling the local clerk’s office.

4)               Copies of sample ballots for the different City of Owosso precincts will be posted at Owosso City Hall and also will be available for review at the Owosso Branch of Shiawassee District Library.

5)         There is still time to receive an Absent Voter Ballot.  The Owosso City Clerk’s office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.  The office will also be open on Saturday, October 30^th from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. for persons wishing to obtain absent voter ballots.  State Election Law does not allow the City Clerk to send ballots out of the office after 2 p.m. on the 30^th.

If you have any questions, please contact our office at (989) 725-0500.