Ann Arbor Shares Election Day Info & Opening Dates for Satellite Offices

​The City of Ann Arbor is preparing those wishing to vote in the State General Election Tuesday, Nov. 8, by sharing useful information and providing greater ease, security and access to cast their ballot. In addition to the Ann Arbor City Clerk’s office at Larcom City Hall, two satellite city clerk’s offices are opening on the University of Michigan campus in advance of election day — U-M Museum of Art (UMMA), 525 State St., and north campus, Duderstadt Center, 2281 Bonisteel Blvd. The satellite office at UMMA opens at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 27. The office at the Duderstadt Center will open later, on Wednesday, Oct. 12, at noon. Each location can assist residents and students ages 18 and up with voter registration; issue and receive absentee ballots and ballot applications; and answer elections questions. Both satellite offices were designed by professors at the Penny Stamps School of Art and Design and, in addition to serving as fully functioning clerk’s offices, include voter education elements in fun and informative presentations.

Find ballot language and candidate information — and complete elections details including in-person voting, absentee voting, voter registration, as well as tips tailored to college students and more — at www.a2gov.org/elections.

Following is detailed information to get ready for the 2022 State General Election:

Voter regist​​ration

  • Are you registered to vote in Ann Arbor? Check your voter registration status, absentee ballot status and view sample ballots at the online Michigan voter information center: www.michigan.gov/vote.
  • Do you need to register to vote in Ann Arbor? Voter registration may occur up until 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. Go in person to:
    • The city clerk’s office, on the second floor of Larcom City Hall, 301 E. Huron St. On-street or lot parking is located on Ann Street, east of Fifth Avenue. The city clerk’s office will have special hours for in-person voter registration and absentee ballot requests, in addition to its 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday regular hours, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. and Wednesdays until 7 p.m. beginning Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022.
    • Ann Arbor City Clerk’s Office satellite location:
      • University of Michigan Museum of Art, 525 State St., Monday–Thursday beginning Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, noon–6 p.m., and Fridays, noon–4 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 5, noon–4 p.m.; Monday, Nov. 7, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
      • University of Michigan North Campus, Duderstadt Center, 2281 Bonisteel Blvd. – Wednesdays and Thursdays beginning Oct. 12, 2022, noon–6 p.m.; and Fridays, noon–4 p.m.
      • The office at UMMA will be open late on Friday, Oct. 14, 7–10 p.m. for Feel Good Friday at the Museum.
      • The office at Duderstadt will be open special hours on Monday, Oct. 24, noon–6 p.m. for the last day to register without proof of residency required.
      • All offices, including Larcom City Hall and satellite offices, are open until 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8.
  • Proof of residency is required when registering to vote within the last 14 days before Election Day or on Election Day.

Absent​​ee voting

Why wait until Election Day to vote? And why wait in line at your polling place to vote on Election Day? Vote from home, at your convenience, instead. All registered voters are eligible to vote absentee, with no reason required. Here’s how to vote absentee:

Request an absentee ballot! If you wish to vote absentee and do not yet have an absentee ballot, you must turn in an absentee ballot application in order to receive one. The application is available at the city clerk’s office and satellite sites or online at www.a2gov.org/elections to print, fill out and return by mail or in person at the city clerk’s office/satellite sites. Do not put ballot applications in the drop boxes.​

There are several options ​to obtain an absentee ballot:

 

  • Apply online at https://Michigan.gov./vote.
  • Call to request an application be sent by mail: 734.794.6140.
  • ​Apply in person at the city clerk’s office/satellite locations.

Fill out, print, sign and return the online application form, https://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/AVApp_535884_7.pdf, to the city clerk via email cityclerk@a2gov.org, U.S. mail or fax. An official form, however, is not required. Any written request for an absentee ballot, signed by the voter, will be accepted. Voters requesting and picking up absentee ballots in person at the city clerk’s office/satellite locations will be subject to the Michigan voter identification requirement. Ballots issued in person are only given to the voter. Spouses and family members may return applications but may not pick up the unvoted ballots for each other.

Once you have your absentee ba​​llot:

 

  1. Sign it! Be sure to sign the outside of the green ballot envelope, or your vote will not count.
  2. Use the green or purple envelope! The absentee ballot return envelope has new look, with a white and purple design. The green-and-white look is being phased out and new envelopes are purple and white. Ballots must be placed in the return envelope (with your signature) to be valid.
  3. Return it! Drop it off in a secure City of Ann Arbor ballot box (https://www.a2gov.org/departments/city-clerk/Elections/Documents/offical_ballot_drop_box_map.pdf – PDF), or mail it at least seven days before Election Day.
    • There are no stamps/postage needed on the City of Ann Arbor green return envelope. This is a postage-paid envelope.
    • All ballots must be received by the city clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 8, in order to be counted. The Ann Arbor City Clerk’s office continues to encourage voters to use the secure ballot drop boxes in the final weeks and days leading up to the election to ensure ballots are received by Election Day.
    • Following is a list of all drop box locations (or view the map at https://www.a2gov.org/departments/city-clerk/Elections/Documents/offical_ballot_drop_box_map.pdf – PDF); directional signage at some outdoor locations will provide guidance to the boxes:
  • Larcom City Hall, 301 E. Huron St., always open — Located inside the building, at the north entrance.
  • Larcom City Hall, on Ann Street — Located outside the building by the customer service drop box, on the north side of Ann Street, just east of Fifth Avenue.
  • Veterans Memorial Park Ice Arena and Pool, 2150 Jackson Ave. — Parking lot.
  • Ann Arbor Fire Station 5, 1946 Beal Ave. — Outside.
  • Cobblestone Farm/Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Customer Service Center, 2781 Packard Road — Outside.
  • Ann Arbor Fire Station 6, 1881 Briarwood Circle — Northwest side of building, Eisenhower entrance, outside.
  • Both satellite locations will have drop boxes available during satellite office hours.

In-person voti​​​ng

City polling places will be open 7 a.m.–8 p.m. Registered voters in line by 8 p.m. will be eligible to vote. Voters must show their photo ID to vote. Those who do not have an acceptable photo ID will be required to sign an affidavit in order to vote.

The City of Ann Arbor is reminding voters that recent statewide redistricting, a result of the 2020 census, has brought about changes for some voters, including where they will go to vote. (These changes were already in effect for the past election, in August 2022.) Following is a summary of the changes:

  • All Ann Arbor voters are now in U.S. Congressional District 6, and new State House and Senate districts have also been assigned to Ann Arbor. Some residents will also be assigned to a new County Commissioner District.
  • The precincts have been renumbered, and they are now in consistent chronological order (1–53). So, while you may still be assigned the same precinct and polling location, the number may be slightly different. This new naming convention is a best practice and replaces the previous system of numbering each ward separately. For example, Ward 2, Precinct 1 … is now Ward 2, Precinct 13, following the first 12 precincts in Ward 1.

What does all of this mean to you as a voter? Most voters, but not all, will still vote at the same polling location, and this is indicated on your new voter ID card that was mailed during summer 2022. For voters who have been reassigned to a new ward and/or precinct location, the card clearly indicates this change.

The city clerk’s office can answer questions at 734.794.6140 or CityClerk@a2gov.org. All voters can also confirm their voter registration and polling place information at www.michigan.gov/vote.

Election Day ​​​​line tracker

Voters can check the number of people waiting in line at their city polling places and view estimated wait times before they head to the polls. Line counts and projected wait times will be reported in real time by the election inspectors at each polling place. Find the Election Day line tracker at www.a2gov.org/departments/city-clerk/Elections/Pages/Line-Tracker.aspx. The line tracker also includes images of each polling place as well as links to maps and directions.

I ​​voted!

Voters at polling places and absentee voters can show their participation with a uniquely Ann Arbor “I voted” sticker. There are three different stickers, each designed by an Ann Arbor community member, winners in the I Voted Sticker Design Contest held in 2020. Digital badges can be found on the city website on Election Day to upload to their social media account(s). Go to www.a2gov.org/elections and select the “A2 votes” tab. Be sure to use #A2Votes when posting, and show your civic pride!

Additional information can be found on the city elections website, www.a2gov.org/elections; and questions about elections in Ann Arbor may be directed to the city clerk’s office at 734.794.6140 or CityClerk@a2gov.org. ​

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