Voting & Elections

2018 Election Calendar

May 8, 2018	August 7, 2018	November 6, 2018
School Election – Pct. 3 Only	State Primary Election	State General Election
Deadline to Register: April 9, 2018	Deadline to Register: July 9, 2018	Deadline to Register: October 8, 2018

Ballot Language

The official ballot language for the November 6, 2018 General Election will be available in late September. Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Please contact the Clerk’s Office to request an Absentee Ballot.

Request an Absentee Voter Ballot

Where Do I Vote?

Texas Township is divided into 6 voting precincts. Where you vote depends on where you live. To find out where you vote, either review your voter identification card or visit the Michigan Voter Information Center.

Precinct 1: Calvary Reformed Church

7829 South 5th Street

Precinct 2: Texas Township Hall

7110 West Q Avenue

Precinct 3: KVCC Groves Campus, Formerly the M-TEC Center

7107 Elm Valley Drive

Precinct 4: Southridge Reformed Church

6726 Texas Drive

Precinct 5: Southridge Reformed Church

6726 Texas Drive

Precinct 6: Calvary Reformed Church

7829 South 5th Street

Voter Registration

Registering to Vote

To register to vote you must be:

A U.S. citizen;
At least 18 years of age by Election Day;
A resident of Michigan and Texas Township.

You may apply to vote at the Texas Township Hall, any Secretary of State branch, or at the Kalamazoo County Hall (please bring photo I.D.). There is also an option to register by mail via this voter registration form, however, if you register to vote by mail, you will be required to vote in person the first time.

Voter Registration Form

Please mail all completed registration forms to the Clerk’s Office at 7110 West Q Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49009.

You may register to vote at any time, but in order to be eligible for an election, registration must be completed at least 30 days prior to the election.

Updating Voter Registration

If you have moved recently or legally changed your name (marriage), you must register again.

Moved

You may change your address online through ExpressSOS, by mail, or in person at a Michigan Secretary of State branch office or the Texas Township Office. Please bring photo I.D.

Changed Name

Must re-register to vote in person at a Michigan Secretary of State branch office. Be sure to bring legal documentation of the name change such as a marriage license or court papers.

Voting at the Polls

On Election Day, the polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Anyone in line at 8:00 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Here are a few tips and tricks for all voters to remember:

Bring a valid form of Photo I.D. (or be prepared to sign an affidavit if you are not in possession of Photo I.D.) Valid forms of Photo I.D. include:
- Michigan Driver’s License or Personal ID
- Non-Michigan Driver’s License or Personal ID
- Federal or state government-issued ID
- U.S. passport
- Military ID
- Student ID – high school or accredited institution of higher education
- Tribal ID card
Campaign materials are not allowed inside the polling location – this includes t-shirts, hats, buttons, pins, etc. Please leave any campaign materials at home.
Verify your precinct location. This information is located on your Voter Identification Card, but you can also verify your precinct location by visiting the Michigan Voter Information Center.
Know what’s on the ballot. Sample ballots are also available for viewing in the Michigan Voter Information Center.

Election Equipment

Election Systems & Software DS-200 Tabulator

Texas Township uses the DS-200 optical scan voting system from Election Systems and Software (ES&S). This secure voting system utilizes paper ballots, which the voter completes by filling in ovals. The ballot is then placed into an electronic scanner that tabulates the votes and also captures a digital image of the ballot cast, in the event that there is a recount. Once the ballot has been fed through the tabulator, a message will appear to the voter indicating that their ballot was cast and properly counted. The paper ballot is then retained as a back-up to the electronic tabulation and digitally scanned image.

Voters requiring assistance may vote independently using the ExpressVote ballot marking system. This device utilizes a specialized paper that is fed into the machine and will mark the voter’s ballot after they’ve made their selections using a touch screen. This device assists voters with mobility, vision, and literacy difficulties.

Election Systems & Software ExpressVote Device

Voters may also request assistance from the person of their choice. However, that person may not be the voter’s employer or agent of that employer or an officer or agent of a union to which the voter belongs. Two precinct inspectors may also assist the voter.

Michigan Voter Rights & Responsibilities

Learn More

Absentee Voting

AV Ballot Qualifications

You may apply for an Absent Voter Ballot if any of the following conditions exist:

You expect to be absent from your community the entire time the polls are open on election day.
You are physically unable to attend the polls without assistance.
You cannot attend the polls because of religious beliefs.
You have been appointed a precinct inspector outside of your community.
You are 60 years of age or older.
You are in jail awaiting arraignment or trial.

Requesting an AV Ballot

In order to receive an Absentee Ballot, you must first fill out an Absentee Ballot Application. You may contact the Clerk's Office and have them mail you an application, or you can download the application below, fill it out, and return it to the Clerk's Office either via email at elections@texastownship.org or by postal mail. Once the Clerk's Office has received your application, they will process it and mail you an Absentee Ballot.

Absentee Ballot Application Form

AV Ballot Voting Instructions

Your Absentee Ballot will come with voting instructions to walk you through the process of voting absentee. It will also come with a secrecy sleeve to place your voted ballot inside before sealing it in the outer envelope. Prior to returning the Absentee Ballot, please make sure that you have signed the outside envelope; and, if mailing the ballot, place at least $.69 postage on the envelope. The Clerk's Office is open the Saturday before each election from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. for the convenience of those wishing to vote via Absentee Ballot. Please note that Absentee Ballots cannot be given to anyone except the voter. Absentee ballots must be returned by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Emergency Absentee Voting

You may make an "emergency" request for an absentee ballot if you cannot attend the polls on Election Day because:

You have become physically disabled; or
A family death or illness requires you to leave your community for the entire time the polls are open on Election Day.

The emergency must have occurred at a time which made it impossible for the voter to apply for an absentee ballot by the statutory deadline for regular applications. Therefore, requests for an emergency ballot must be submitted after 2 p.m. the Saturday before the election, which is the deadline for applying for a regular absent voter ballot, but before 4 p.m. on Election Day. Emergency absent voter ballots must be returned to the clerk's office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Contact the Clerk's Office for more information.

Permanent Absentee Voter List

A voter can request to be added to this list in order to receive Absentee Voter Applications prior to each election. Recipients of these applications must complete the application for each election and return it to the Clerk's Office in order to receive a ballot. Please note that being on the Permanent AV List does not guarantee you a ballot, it only guarantees you will receive an application form. You must complete the application form and return it to the Clerk's Office in order to receive a ballot. An Absentee Ballot Application Form must be completed for each election.

You may call the Clerk's Office at 269.375.1591 to request to be put on the Permanent Absentee Voter List.

Military and Overseas Citizens

If you are an active duty service member, a family member of an active duty service member, or a U.S. citizen who is residing abroad, you may qualify for an absentee ballot.

Eligibility Requirements

Active Duty: An active duty member of the Uniformed Services or Merchant Marine;
Family of Active Duty: An eligible spouse or family member of an active duty member of the Uniformed Services or Merchant Marine; or
Reside Abroad: A U.S. citizen residing outside the U.S.

Application Form

To receive an absentee ballot, eligible military & overseas voters must complete a Federal PostCard Application Form (FPCA). The FPCA form allows the eligible voter to receive either an electronic ballot, which must be returned via postal mail, or a physical ballot. The voter is able to select their preferred delivery method on the FPCA form.

Completed forms can be returned to the Clerk’s Office by email at elections@texastownship.org or to 7110 West Q Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI 49009. Once submitted, the FPCA form is valid for the entire calendar year in which it was submitted. A new form will need to be submitted each year.

If you have questions, the Federal Voting Assistance Program has a wealth of information for service members, their families, and overseas citizens.

Become an Election Inspector!

Texas Township is currently seeking qualified individuals who are interested in working at polling locations on Election Day.
The Township will provide training (one half-day) and the necessary resources for you to succeed in assisting voters on Election Day.
This is an excellent way to serve your community and fulfill your civic duty while earning some extra spending cash!
Please contact the Clerk’s Office at 269.375.1591 for more information.

Election Inspector Application

Election FAQ

When may I register to vote?

At any time, however, you must be registered at least 30 days before an election in order to vote in that election.

Where can I register to vote?

You can register at any of the Secretary of State Offices, the Township Clerk’s Office, the County Clerk’s Office and other state offices.

You may also register to vote by mail. However, individuals who register to vote by mail must vote in person in the first election following their registration unless they are 60 years of age or older or have a recognized permanent disability.

Can I vote by absentee ballot?

If you are a registered voter, you may obtain an absent voter ballot if:

•You are 60 years of age or older
•You expect to be absent from the community in which you are registered to vote for the entire time the polls are open on election day
•You are unable to go to the polls and vote without the assistance of another person.
•You cannot attend the polls because of your religious beliefs
•You have been appointed as an election inspector in a precinct other than the one in which you reside.
•You are confined in jail or prison awaiting arraignment or trial.

May I pick up an absentee ballot for my spouse?

No. Election law allows for only the registered voter to obtain a ballot. However, you may pick up an application for an absentee ballot for your spouse and you can deliver a voted ballot of any member of your immediate family or any a member of your household.

I have power of attorney for my spouse. Can I pick up an absentee ballot for him/her?

No. Election law specifically states that power of attorney does not apply for voting purposes.

How can I vote by absentee ballot in every election?

Any registered voter may ask to be on the permanent absent voter list. Being on the permanent absentee voter list means that you will receive an absentee ballot application form for each election. This form needs to be completed and returned to the Clerk’s Office so we can mail you a ballot. Being on the permanent absentee list guarantees you will receive an absentee ballot application form, not a physical ballot.

I'm on the permanent absentee voter list, why didn't I receive a ballot?

Being on the permanent list does not guarantee a ballot for every election. Rather, it means that you will automatically receive an application for an absentee ballot. The application must be completed and returned to the Clerk’s Office prior to receiving a ballot.

Why do I need my photo I.D. at the polls?

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled on July 18, 2007 that a provision of Michigan election law which requires voters to either present picture identification or sign an affidavit if they do not have picture identification with them is constitutional and enforceable. (See MCL 168.523 for picture identification requirement.) While this requirement was originally enacted by the State Legislature in 1996, the requirement was never implemented due to a prior ruling issued through the Attorney General’s office.

Due to this ruling, the County of Kalamazoo Clerk’s Office Election Division and all other jurisdictions across the State will implement this new requirement beginning with the election on November 6, 2007. To implement this requirement, precinct election workers will ask voters for photo identification at the polls. The following are acceptable forms of photo identification, assuming they are current and a picture is provided:

Michigan Driver’s License or Personal ID
Non-Michigan Driver’s License or Personal ID
Federal or state government-issued ID
U.S. passport
Military ID
Student ID – high school or accredited institution of higher education
Tribal ID card

If the voter does not have an acceptable photo ID in his or her possession when offering to vote, that voter may sign an affidavit attesting that he or she is not in possession of a photo ID. A voter who completes an affidavit will be allowed to vote a regular ballot.