Provisional Ballot Report Reminder

Every jurisdiction must submit the Provisional Ballot/Not in Possession of Picture ID Online Report Form. This report was due Tuesday, August 14th. 

View the Received August 2018 Election Reports on Provisional Ballot/No ID Forms to verify we have your report. Counties can also use this to view reports for your county. In the Browse by Subject box, expand Online Forms, and click Received Reports.

If you have not submitted this report, please login to the Learning Center and complete the August 2018 Provisional Ballot/Not in Possession of Picture ID Online Report Form now.

Michigan’s HAVA Election Security Grant Plan – Approved!

As you may know, earlier this year Congress allocated $380 million in grants nationwide, which have been made available to states to improve the administration of Federal elections, including technology enhancements and election security improvements. The 2018 Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Election Security Fund marks the first new appropriations for HAVA grants since 2010. This funding will provide states with additional resources to secure and improve election systems.  Read more about the new Federal grant funding program here:  https://www.eac.gov/2018-hava-election-security-funds/.   All state plans are expected to be posted to this site sometime next week. 

Michigan’s narrative plan was presented to the Federal Election Assistance Commission earlier this month and was approved earlier this week.  See our plan here: Michigan HAVA Security Grant Plan

While plans for utilizing this funding are just getting underway, you should know that a major focus will be to assist counties and local jurisdictions with conducting end-to-end security assessments and implementing needed improvements.  An assessment of this type is currently underway at the state level; from there, BOE expects to qualify several qualified resources to conduct assessments and recommend and implement improvements to county, city and township election operations. 

Additional funding will also be used to:

• implement additional security controls in the QVF Refresh system
• make more system improvements and ensure the availability of dedicated resources to continually assess and improve security and overall operation of the QVF over time
• put a renewed focus on the development of new and enhanced security training and communication tools that can be utilized at all levels
• hire dedicated election security-related resources to ensure full and timely completion of all portions of the plan

While there is still much analysis and work to be done, we also encourage ideas and feedback from you in the clerk community.  Please continue to read the weekly News Updates for ongoing updates!

November Line Study

Once again, the Bureau of Elections is asking local clerks to assist in a data collection project this November.  As part of the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) and MIT Lines Project, our state has been a strong participant in the past.  There is great value in collecting this data over time and not simply at one election.  We encourage everyone to participate! 

What does it require?  Participation in the line study requires election inspectors to perform a line count at the top of each hour on Election Day.  A short one-page Line Study Worksheet has been created for their use.  The worksheet has been used by election inspectors across the state in both 2014 and 2016. Election inspectors embraced this simple task, knowing the data could assist in showing a good picture of what their precinct is like on Election Day.  We understand the Gubernatorial election is already a busy day and election inspectors are stretched thin, but November general elections are the best opportunities we have to collect meaningful data of this type, that then becomes valuable for any and all elections in the future!

If you are planning to participate in this study send us a quick email at elections@michigan.gov with the subject "Line Study".  We will send you additional reminders before and after the election to prepare and then send us your worksheets.  The data compilation piece will be handled by BPC/MIT. 

Visit the BPC/MIT Line Project website for their major takeaways and reports on this project.

QVF Refresh Update

Below are the QVF Refresh Software changes for August 17, 2018:

• Voter Search – precinct number and polling location now show when you expand the voter information using the plus symbol.  The precinct number also appears when you hover over the jurisdiction
• AV Scan – shows the secondary signature when available in the pop-up window
• AV List – now included voter i.d. number
• Ballot Administration – Now allows users to save proposal language and term end dates for partial terms offices are required to be entered

Online Absent Voter Ballot Application Form

The Bureau of Elections' online Absent Voter Ballot Application has been updated for the November 6th election. 

The following formats are available:

• Printable
• Fillable
• Large Print
• Spanish

As a reminder, voters may use any absent voter ballot application or simply sent a note with a  signature and a reason for the request.

National Voter Registration Day 2018!

This year's National Voter Registration Day is scheduled for September 25th. Events are scheduled around the country to encourage citizens to register to vote.

Currently there is only ONE event scheduled in the State of Michigan.  Let voters know that your office is open to take voter registrations!  You don't need to hold a huge event to participate.

For more information and to sign up to be voter registration partner, visit the National Voter Registration Day website.

BOE Question of the Week:

We had two voters in the same household switch their AV ballots and/or sign the wrong envelopes.  Can those still be processed?

Answer:  Yes!  If two voters in the same household put their ballots in or sign the wrong envelopes, the ballots may still be counted if the ballot numbers and signatures match what is on file for both voters.   

Have a question you'd  like to see
in the Question of the Week?  Send it to elections@michigan.gov.