Elections

2017 Election Calendar

May 2, 2017
Coutywide Election
Deadline to Register: April 3, 2017
Polls Open 7am-8pm

Ballot Language

Read the official ballot language for the May 2, 2017 Countywide Election below. 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.

View the Sample Ballots

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

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 AV 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 mail it to the Clerk's Office. Once the Clerk's Office has received your application, they will process it and mail you an Absentee Ballot.

AV 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.

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 the city or township where you are applying to register to vote.

You may apply to vote at the Texas Township Hall, any Secretary of State branch, or at the Kalamazoo County Hall. 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.

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 178 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 absentee in every election?

A voter may ask to be on the permanent absent voter list if they are over the age of 60 or permanently disabled.

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.