Single-place polls are now in effect (Some school election locations changed - Michigan)

Ann Arbor News ^ | 4-12-2005

[Dan from Michigan]

Single-place polls are now in effect
Change is the result of state election consolidation laws; some exceptions
Tuesday, April 12, 2005

BY ANN SCHIMKE
News Staff Reporter

Most local voters will cast their ballots in the same place for the May 3 school election as they do for municipal elections, a departure from past years when many voters went to different locations for different elections.

The change is one result of the state election consolidation law that took effect Jan. 1.

There will be a few exceptions to the new single polling place practice in school districts that straddle the Monroe or Jackson county lines and in one Washtenaw County precinct where extremely low voter turnout is predicted.

Jackson and Monroe county voters who live within the boundaries of Washtenaw County school districts must go to polling locations in Washtenaw County to vote in the May 3 election rather than the polling place they report to for municipal elections, said Derrick Jackson, chief deputy clerk/register for Washtenaw County. Jackson County residents living within the Chelsea school district will cast ballots at the Washington Street Education Center, 500 Washington St. in Chelsea, and Monroe County residents living in the Milan school district will cast ballots at Milan City Hall, 147 Wabash St.

Livingston and Wayne county voters who live within Washtenaw County school districts will vote at the same location for the May 3 election as they do for municipal elections.

The only Washtenaw County precinct that has been moved to a different polling location for the May 3 election because of low turnout projections is precinct 5 in Pittsfield Township, said Jackson. That precinct will vote at the Pittsfield Township Community Center, 701 W. Ellsworth Road.

In addition to polling place changes, the May 3 election represents the first round of regular school elections held in May instead of June. The May date is one of four dates designated for most elections under the consolidation law. The others three dates are in February, August and November. Area school districts, except South Lyon, opted for the May election date for regular school elections. South Lyon chose to hold its elections on the November date.

Also under the new law, school districts will no longer run the elections. Instead city, township, village or county personnel will oversee the elections. Jackson said that most voters probably won't notice the change in the jurisdiction running the election. What they will likely notice, he said, is the use of a consistent polling place location for all elections.

[Dan from Michigan]

There's a millage tax vote in Livingston County based school districts, and school board elections in many districts May 3rd, so heads up Michiganders.

[taxesareforever]

Don't the people have to go back to school and learn where the new polling places are? John Kerry and Jesse Jackson would say that this is like pulling the chair out from under someone who is sitting down.