Early in-person voting begins on Saturday but voters around the state have already begun submitting their absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 election.
During the early voting period, voters in person are issued a ballot and may insert it directly into a tabulator at a voting site.
In Oakland County, early voting at the 19 locations listed below runs from Saturday, Oct. 24, to Sunday, Nov. 1, during the following hours:
Monday – Wednesday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Thursday: 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Friday – Sunday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Voters using absent ballots may also bring completed ballots to an early voting location to feed them into a tabulator themselves.
The county will continue a program that began back in August. Voter “express lanes” will be available for voters returning their absentee ballots to their early voting site for tabulation.
“The procedure put in place would be that they wouldn’t have to wait in line all the way through,” the Oakland County Clerk’s office said in a statement. “Because they wouldn’t have to be issued a ballot, they just bring their ballot in, the workers would let them go and tabulate their ballot.”
“We are continually looking for ways to improve the voter experience whenever possible,” said Clerk Lisa Brown.
The express lanes are available at all the early voting locations listed below. The clerk’s office estimated there are six to eight communities in Oakland County administering their own early voting system and not on the list.
According to the Secretary of State’s office, Oakland County has had 336,807 absentee ballots requested for the November election. Farmington voters requested the most absentee ballot in Oakland County at 23,466.
“Early voting has been a tremendous success in the City of Farmington Hills, with more voters embracing this convenient option with each election,” said Farmington Hills Clerk Carly Lindahl. “Given the significance of the upcoming general election, the city anticipates an increased turnout during the early voting period.”
Statewide, 10.7% (798,476) of absentee ballots issued have been returned to local clerks.
As of Oct. 20, a total of 2,121,458 voters have requested a mail (absentee) ballot for the General Election, including 2,001,574 on the permanent mail ballot list, and 789,476 voters have returned their completed ballot by mail, drop box, or to their clerk’s office.
photo by Matt Fahr
Media News Group
“With Election Day only two weeks away, now is the time to return your mail ballot if you have not already done so,” said Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie. “Voters should avoid putting their ballot in the mail and instead hand-deliver it to your assigned drop box, clerk’s office, or put it into the machine yourself at an early voting site or at a polling location on Election Day.”
In-person early voting locations in Oakland County:
Central site: Waterford Oaks Activity Center, 2800 Watkins Lake Road, Waterford.
Addison Township, Orion Township, Oxford Township: Orion Recreation Center, 3800 S. Baldwin Road, Lake Orion.
Berkley, Huntington Woods, Oak Park: Pleasant Ridge Oak Park Community Center, 14300 Oak Park Blvd., Oak Park.
Bloomfield Township, Southfield Township, Birmingham: Bloomfield Township Public Library, 1099 Lone Pine Road, Bloomfield Hills.
Clawson, Troy: Troy Community Center East Entrance 3179 Livernois Rd. Troy.
Commerce Township, Walled Lake, Wixom: Commerce Township Community Library, 180 E. Commerce St., Commerce.
Farmington, Farmington Hills: Costick Community Center, 28600 W. Eleven Mile Road, Farmington Hills.
Highland Township, White Lake Township: Highland Township Hall Auditorium, 205 N. John St., Highland.
Holly Township, Rose Township, Springfield Township: Springfield Oaks Activity Center, 12451 Andersonville Road, Davisburg.
Independence Township: Brady Lodge at Bay Court Park, 6970 Andersonville Road, Clarkston.
Lathrup Village, Southfield: Southfield Pavilion Parks and Recreation Dept., Room 115, 26000 Evergreen Road, Southfield.
Lyon Township, Milford Township: Lyon Township Hall, 58000 Grand River Ave., New Hudson.
Madison Heights, Royal Oak: Leo Mahany/Harold Meininger Royal Oak Senior Center, 3500 Marais Ave., Royal Oak.
Novi Township, Northville, Novi: Novi Civic Center, 45175 W. Ten Mile Road, Novi.
Oakland Township, Rochester Hills: Rochester Hills Public Library, 500 Olde Towne Road, Rochester.
Pontiac: Pontiac Public Library, 60 E. Pike St., Pontiac.
Royal Oak Township, Ferndale, Hazel Park: Hazel Park Community Center, 620 W. Woodward Heights Blvd., Hazel Park.
Waterford Township, Lake Angelus: Waterford Township Public Library, 5168 Civic Center Drive, Waterford.
West Bloomfield Township, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake, Sylvan Lake: West Bloomfield Township Public Library, 4600 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield.
Residents can register to vote online at: mvic.sos.state.mi.us/RegisterVoter.
For more information on Oakland County voting go to: elections.oaklandcountymi.gov/government/clerk-register-of-deeds/elections-voting.