 Deadline for presidential election nears
Michigan residents have until Tuesday, Oct. 11, to register to vote in the Nov. 8 presidential election, Secretary of State Ruth Johnson announced.
“You must be registered to vote in order to participate in the upcoming general election,” Johnson said. “I encourage you to visit your local clerk’s office or a Secretary of State branch and register right away. Your voice will then be heard in November.”
To register to vote, applicants must be at least 18 years old by Election Day and U.S. citizens. Applicants also must be residents of Michigan and of the city or township in which they wish to register.
Polls will be open on Election Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters may register by mail or in person at their county, city or township clerk’s office or by visiting any Secretary of State office. The mail-in form is available at www.Michigan.gov/elections.
First-time voters who register by mail must vote in person in their first election, unless they hand-deliver the application to their local clerk, are 60 years old or older, are disabled or are eligible to vote under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
To check their registration status, residents may visit the Michigan Voter Information Center at www.Michigan.gov/vote. They can see their sample ballot and find their polling place.
Residents also can find information on absentee voting, Michigan’s voter identification requirement, how to use voting equipment and how to contact their local clerk. The site can be easily viewed on a smartphone.
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Secretary Johnson is seeking a new vendor to build a computer system to replace one that’s been in place since the 1960s that serves offices around the state.
The new contract is needed after the state of Michigan sued Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPE) because it failed to deliver on a $49 million contract despite having 10 years to complete the project.
“We’re looking for a vendor to do what HP could not do: Deliver,” Johnson explained. “Companies bidding for the contract will be required to show that they have an efficient, successful and proven system up and running for both driver and vehicle files.”
A new system will ensure accountability to taxpayers and allow Secretary of State staff to better serve customers because they’ll have easier access to both driver and vehicle records. It also will allow law enforcement to get information in real time and the department to implement legislative changes much more quickly. A new system will provide employees a better, faster and much more efficient system that is more customer-friendly.
The new contract is also expected to require an independent contractor to monitor and verify what’s produced throughout the project, and vendors won’t get paid until they deliver.
A request for proposal was issued today with proposals from interested companies expected back by Oct. 25. Details of the RFP are available at www.buy4michigan.com.
More information about the current failed contract is available here, here and here.
 Distraction-Free in the D student contest
Metro Detroit high school students can win up to $2,000 and get
on TV by taking a pledge and writing a short statement against distracted
driving.
This year's Distraction-Free in the D contest runs through
October 7, so there are only a few days left for entries to be accepted!
Click to enter
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