New voting rules mean polls may not always be in the same location

Polling locations may change for a small number of residents during special or off-year elections, and proper notification should be provided to all affected voters by their local township clerk.

Shortly after the recent November 2 election, The Manchester Mirror received a message from a southwest Manchester Township resident who lives within the Columbia School District. Dennis Kwapis was concerned he had not received proper notification of change in voting location prior to the election, and asked the Mirror to look into the situation.

Each of the four townships in the Manchester area serve multiple school districts in addition to Manchester Community Schools. Manchester Township has both Columbia and Clinton school districts; Sharon Township has residences located in Grass Lake and Chelsea districts; Freedom Township residents may attend school in either Manchester, Chelsea, Dexter, or Ann Arbor; and Bridgewater Township serves both Saline and Clinton districts in addition to Manchester.

So, it can get confusing, especially when “special” elections are held in off-years when no other issues may be on the local ballot. Manchester Township Clerk Danell Proctor explained that recent changes in voting rules allow clerks to “opt-out” of holding an election as long as there are other convenient nearby polling places. In the case of the recent special election for the Columbia District, due to the small number of voters, it was agreed to allow Manchester Township voters to vote at the Norvell Township office, which is also located within the Columbia District.

The duties and responsibilities of an “opt-out” clerk are as follows:

1. Notify voter if polling location is going to change. 
2. Notify Election Coordinator if jurisdiction is conducting an Election on the same date.
3. Issue MOVE & Absentee Voter Ballots during the 45 days prior to Election Day.
4. Handle the permanent Absentee Voter List, including mailing Absentee Voter applications, receiving Absentee Voter applications, issuing requested Absentee Voter ballots, receiving Absentee Voter ballots (unless the opt–out & opt–in clerks agree to have completed Absentee Voter ballots mailed directly to the opt–in clerk)
5. Issue Absentee Voter applications & ballots for a total of 8 hours on the Saturday and/or Sunday before the election.
6. Enter Saturday and/or Sunday open hours in QVF and publish as required.
7. Open Clerk’s office from 7 am-8 pm on Election Day to register voters, issue, and receive Absentee Voters ballots.
8. Opt–Out Clerks must drop–off of Absentee Voter ballots to the Opt–In jurisdiction after the close of polls on Election Day.
9. Complete the MOVE and Provisional Ballot reports in eLearning.
10. Prepare and present reimbursement requests to school district.
11. Perform any other necessary functions in relation to the school election as required by law

Michigan election law, Section 168.659 3a, clerks are required to notify voters of these changes. Proctor affirmed that she mailed a post card, on October 13, to affected voters. The post card wording was as follows:

“ELECTION Tuesday, November 2, 2021 

To Electors in Manchester Township, Columbia School District

Your regular polling location has been changed for the November 2, 2021, Election. In an attempt to save tax payer dollars, we have arranged for you to vote THIS TIME ONLY at the Former Police Building, 300 Mill Rd., Brooklyn, Michigan. The polls are open 7:00 A.M. until 8:00 P.M. You may request an Absent Voter application and ballot by contacting the Manchester Township Clerk at 734–428–7090.”

Many residents to whom the cards were addressed, say they have not received this notification. With recent delays in postal service delivery, however, Proctor acknowledged that some cards may not have been delivered in a timely manner. The notification also was posted on the Township’s web page a week or so prior to the election.

Proctor stated that she was in the township office as required by law from 8 am-4 pm on October 30 (the Saturday prior to the election) to issue and/or receive any absentee ballots, as well as on the day of election, from 7 am to 8 pm.

“In May, Clinton (School District) had a proposal on the ballot, and I had to do the same thing,” she explained. “And since I was here all the time the polls were open on Election Day, even if someone who didn’t know about the polling location change had arrived at 7:59 pm, I could have let them vote absentee, and it would have been my responsibility to deliver the ballots to the Norvell Township Clerk.”

She noted that a notice of the change in polling location was posted on the door of the township hall, and a few people did come into the office on Election Day, some even hoping to vote in the presidential election.

Proctor also said that since the Brooklyn Exponent is the paper of record for the Columbia School District, all notices regarding the election and any changes in polling place, were published in the Exponent on October 19, and not in the Mirror.

While Township Clerks obviously carry a heavy responsibility during each election season, community members who wish to vote in their respective elections also are responsible to be informed. If you live in a different district than the majority of voters in your township, be sure you check the paper of record for your school district to become informed about each election and potential changes, especially during off-year and special elections.

Is it possible the confusion could have changed the outcome in this most recent election (where the proposal narrowly passed)? It’s hard to say. What is clear, however, is that both voters and Clerks alike have learned from this experience and may need to make some changes for the future.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.