Technical Support

The following support will be available from the QVF Help Desk and BOE Election Specialists prior
to and on Election Day:

* Saturday, November 3 and Sunday, November 4  The QVF Help Desk will provide on-call support from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

* Monday, November 5:  Election Specialists and the QVF Help Desk will be available from 8 a.m. until
6 p.m.

* Election Day (Tuesday, November 6):  Election Specialists and the QVF Help Desk will be available
from 6:30 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.

*NOTE:  If your call goes to voicemail, please leave a detailed message and your call will be
returned as quickly as possible.

The number for the QVF Help Desk is:  800-310- 5697

Numbers that can be used to reach Election Specialists: 800-292-5973 or 517-373-0065.

Review the Bureau of Elections Contact Information Who to Contact listing to get connected to the correct division faster.

Voting Equipment Vendor Contacts: Click here for list

Saturday Office Hours & AV Ballot Reminders

Final reminders regarding absentee ballots:

Absentee ballots may be picked up by the voter or mailed to the voter up until 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 3rd.

Local Clerks or other authorized personnel appointed by the clerk must be available in the clerk's office on Saturday, November 3rd until 2 p.m. for the issuance of absentee ballots.

After 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 3rd up until 4 p.m. on Election Day is the Emergency Absentee Ballot window.

Monday, November 5th, electors may request an absentee ballot in person and vote the ballot in the clerk's office until 4 p.m.

Absentee ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Check the post office after normal delivery for late arriving ballots on Election Day.

Detailed information must be posted regarding the return of AV ballots. See page 9 in the manual listed below.

For full instruction on the Absentee Voting Process review Ch. 6 of the Election Officials' Manual.

Absent Voters & The Precinct Ballot Summary

On Election night, the Ballot Summary is a reflection of the ballots delivered to election inspectors for processing. The biggest question BOE receives in regards to the precinct Ballot Summary is how to properly account for absentee ballots.

Points to remember:

• Electronic ballots issued to military and overseas voters & Federal Write-In Absentee Ballots (FWAB) are absent voter ballots, include them in the count for Line B

• Those ballots do not have "regular" ballot numbers & do not need them - do not try to match them up with a regular ballot for duplication purposes

• Ballots that require duplication do not need to be documented other than the total number on Line H

• The Ballot Summary reflects ballots delivered to election inspectors - which means just the number of valid absent voter ballots the clerk received back from voters. This does not include any AV ballots that were spoiled, rejected, unsigned, or unreturned.

Review the Duplicating Ballots and Closing the Polls videos for more details.

Election Inspectors - Exercise Caution

Remind election inspectors to avoid talking politics and discussing items on the ballot.  Our ballot proposals are unique this year as they directly affect the election process.  As with any ballot proposal, election inspectors should not provide opinions or information not available in the polling place to voters.

Full ballot language posters should be available in every precinct.  Election inspectors should refer voters to those posters if they have questions.

Voters and Picture ID

Picture ID rules remain a point to review with election inspectors. Please remind election inspectors of the following points regarding the Michigan Picture ID requirement:

• Many different types of picture ID are acceptable (The full list of options is on the first page of the Processing Voters section in the Election Inspectors' Flipchart)

• A driver's license issued by another state is acceptable

• If the voter does not have Picture ID, they must sign the Affidavit of Voter Not in Possession of Picture Identification

• If the voter has picture ID with them at the polls and refuses to show it, do not issue a ballot

• The "Federal ID" requirement is different from the Michigan Picture ID requirement (use the Voter Processing Flow Charts)

• Only display the Notice to Voters: Voter Identification Requirement in Effect posting. Other signs(example: Picture ID Required) may unnecessarily lead a voter to believe there are no options if he/she doesn’t have picture ID.

Daylight Savings Time Ends

Clocks will turn back one hour at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 4, 2018.

Tabulators and Voter Assist Terminals must be manually adjusted to the correct time.

Review the Time Adjustment Instructions for instructions.

BOE Question of the Week:

What has been the most common election inspector mistake?

Answer:  Not removing all of the ballots from the tabulator at the end of the night.  Remind them that every ballot must be secured in the ballot container to ensure recountability!  Triple check!

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