LWVKA 2006 Voter Guide

You may receive assistance when voting from anyone except an employer, union or their representatives. Election officials may assist you, in which case two inspectors (one from each major political party), will give assistance.

How?
The procedure involves three steps:
1. Complete an application to vote.
2. An election inspector checks your name against the list of registered voters for the precinct.
3. You vote.

From the Kalamazoo County Election Guide 2004:
As a result of the Help America Vote Act, adopted in response to the problems connected with the 2000 Presidential Election in some parts of the country, a new optical scan voting system was implemented in 2004 in every precinct in the county. Below are some brief descriptions about how this system works:

• Ballot —The Optical Scan voting system uses a sheet of heavy paper on which the candidate names and proposals are printed.

• Voting Process — The voter will use a pen and darken the oval just to the right of the candidate name (or Yes/No in the case of a proposal). Following voting, the voter will take the voted ballot to the ballot tabulator and feed the ballot in to the device. The ballot is counted immediately and retained in the boxes below the device until after the election. If the device notices an error on the ballot (i.e., votes cast for more candidates than is allowed), it will make a small "beep." The voter will be able to read a message on a small screen on the device that will explain the error detected. The voter will then have an opportunity to have the ballot returned and request a replacement ballot or have the ballot counted with the error. If the ballot is not duplicated, the voter will risk not having all votes counted.

The online Michigan Citizens’ Guide to Voting Systems enables you to see a video demonstration of this voting system.

• Tabulation Procedure — At the close of the polls, the election inspectors will press a button on the tabulator that will print the totals from the precinct. If there are any write–in votes, they will be tabulated by hand and written on the appropriate forms. All required documents will then be transported to the local clerk and then to the County Clerk's Office for compilation.

• Internet Totals — As soon as possible, the precinct totals will be available on the Internet via the Kalamazoo County web site (www.kalcounty.com or www.electionmagic.com).

Write-in Candidates

To vote for a person whose name is not printed on the ballot, write the name of that person in the blank space provided for that office and darken the oval.

Votes for write-in candidates are counted only for persons who have declared their intent, at the appropriate jurisdiction, to be write-in candidates by 4 p.m. the Friday preceding the election.

Editors’ Note

The League of Women Voters of the Kalamazoo Area (LWVKA) contacted local city and county clerks to identify proposals and candidates who will be on the ballot. Included were those known to have filed a declaration of intent to be write-in candidates at the time of printing this Voter Guide. We sought biographical information and answers to issue questions from each candidate. The word number limit for biographical information is 70 words unless otherwise indicated; limits for other answers accompany the questions for each office. An ellipsis and ending period (...) closes candidates’ statements where their submitted responses exceeded those set limits. Responses were edited for spelling. “Did not respond in time for publication” or “Did not respond to question” follows the candidate’s name when LWVKA did not receive a requested reply.

Candidates in partisan races are listed according to the order in which their parties registered in Michigan. Other candidates are in alphabetical order, according to the office being sought. The League of Women Voters of Michigan provided information, if any, about national and state candidates.

LWVKA publication of these candidate statements and opinions is solely in the interest of public service. No one should construe this service as a League endorsement in any way. The League of Women Voters takes no responsibility for any of the views or facts stated by the candidates.

Acknowledgments

The following organizations generously provided financial support for LWV voter service efforts, including this Voter Guide:

• A. Philip Randolph Institute Kalamazoo Chapter
• Bronson Healthcare Group
• Kalamazoo Community Foundation, Good Neighbor Fund
• League of Women Voters of the Kalamazoo Area Education Fund
• Pfizer Inc

Absentee Ballots

A voter may apply for an absentee ballot by 2:00 pm the Saturday before the election, either by letter or in person at the appropriate city or township clerk’s office. In case of emergency after that day, contact the clerk’s office.

You are eligible to vote absentee if you:
• are 60 years of age or more.
• expect to be absent from the area during the time the polls are open.
• are unable to go to the polls and vote without the assistance of another person.
• cannot attend the polls because of your religious beliefs.
• are an election inspector in another precinct.
• are confined in jail or prison awaiting arraignment or trial.

How do I receive the ballot?

You can obtain an absent voter ballot by writing to the clerk of the city or township in which you are registered to vote. Ballots cannot be supplied through telephone requests. Your written request must include:

• Your name
• The date of the election
• The address where you are registered to vote.
• The reason why you are requesting an absent voter ballot.
•The address where you wish to receive your ballot. (This must be your registration address, an address outside of your jurisdiction of registration, a hospital, or some other type of residential institution.)
• Your signature and the date of your request.

Blank absent voter ballot applications can be obtained through your city or township clerk. Members of the armed forces and their spouses and dependents, members of the Merchant Marine and their spouses and dependents, and U.S. citizens temporarily living or traveling outside the territorial limits of the United States must sign the Federal Post Card Application under oath to obtain an absent voter ballot.

When must absent voter ballots be returned to the clerk?

Voters may cast their absentee ballots in the clerk’s office until 4:00 pm on Monday before the election. Ballots must be received in the clerk’s office by 8:00 p.m. on election day. There are instructions included with the ballot regarding who is eligible to return a ballot on behalf of a voter. For further information, contact the Kalamazoo County Clerk (383-8840) or your city or township clerk.