The Bureau of Elections is accepting proof ballots for conditional approval as to form for the Aug. 6, 2024, election. Conditional approval can help counties, local jurisdictions and vendors have more lead time to have absent voter ballots available for voters starting 45/40 days before Aug. 6 as needed. Ballot proofs should be submitted to Melissa Myles at Milesm5@Michigan.gov and cc: Dave Tarrant at Tarrantd2@Michigan.gov. Please note that the Board of State Canvassers is meeting tomorrow, May 31, to finalize the state-level candidate listing, and under the Michigan Constitution, the Michigan Legislature may add proposed constitutional amendments to the ballot as late as June 7. The BOE is not aware of any efforts to add constitutional amendments to the August ballot at this time but cannot guarantee that the Michigan Legislature will not do so. BOE approval of ballot formats will therefore be conditional based on no additional state-level measures being added to the ballot.

Once BOE approves the form of the ballot, it is imperative that county and local clerks employ a rigorous proofing process of the content of the ballot:

• Counties and municipalities should establish points of contact and timelines for the review of ballots to ensure that every ballot style is reviewed by both the county and municipal clerk prior to printing.
• Counties should communicate with neighboring counties about any school district language in school districts that cross county lines.
• Split precincts and any district numbers that have changed should be carefully reviewed. Ensure all ballot-style splits are accounted for.
• All “vote for” numbers should be reviewed to verify the correct numbers.

All local office partial terms should be reviewed to ensure they are included on the ballot

BOE is continuing to feature a series of videos, events, links, and articles designed to increase familiarity with general accessibility requirements and best practices.

As election officials, it is critical that we support all individuals’ right to vote and provide the necessary resources to help voters feel more engaged and confident.

We believe that this series will be educational and help us all continue to ensure that everyone can vote privately and independently whether they vote at a polling place or at home. We encourage you to review the previous accessibility spotlights and use these videos in your trainings.

In this installment we would like to remind you to assess your polling place(s) to ensure accessibility while the weather is optimal in Michigan. This is essential in our preparation for the upcoming 2024 elections and beyond. Our online submission form will soon be available to submit your completed surveys. In the meantime, the polling place accessibility checklist can be found here.

Do you need help filling out the accessibility survey? The Ombudsperson for Accessible Elections can assist with getting an appointment to conduct polling place assessments either through our office or one of our disability partners. Email ADAVoting@Michigan.gov or call 517-335-2730 for more information on available dates and times in your area.

The Michigan Department of State announced a statewide “I Voted” sticker contest. All students in Michigan schools are encouraged to apply. There will be separate entry categories for Elementary/Middle School (K-8), and High School (9-12), as well as a general entry category for all Michiganders. Entries are due by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 30. Finalists will be selected via online voting open to the public throughout July. Winners will be announced in August and will receive special recognition from Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

Full contest rules are available at Michigan.gov/IVotedSticker.

June 7 is the deadline for cities and townships to establish, move, or abolish a polling place for the Aug. 6 primary election.

As a reminder, the moving of an early voting site or polling place requires:

• Township board or city council/commission approval
• Notice to voters
• Notice of the change posted at the old polling location

Clerks who have not already done so should verify that all polling places they plan to use will be available for Aug. 6. If any polling places change, this information must be updated in QVF.

Departmental Specialist 13 - Security and Standards Section - Emerging Topics Specialist - This position serves as the Election Administration Emerging Topics Specialist providing specialized support to the Bureau of Election's (BOE) Security and Standards Section, providing expert advice regarding emerging or special topics requiring new solutions statewide or at the municipal or county level. Incumbent serves as BOE liaison with national, state, county, and local election administration experts regarding best practices surrounding Election Day voting, early voting, absentee voting, and election administration duties at the local and county level; identifies opportunities for improvement in statewide procedures, and supports individual jurisdictions with special or emerging issues requiring expert support and resolution. Posting closes at 11:59 p.m. on June 3.

Departmental Analyst 12 - Security and Standards Section - This position serves as an analyst in the Security and Standards section and will serve as recognized resource for creating or changing election administration materials for clerks and vendors based on changes to the Michigan Election Law. This position will gather data from election officials to determine program needs and coordinate with Election Administration staff on development of section programs; assist with the oversight of Michigan’s 1,600+ county and local election officials in the performance of their duties to ensure proper practices and procedures; and provide support for section programs, such as assisting with audits and recounts. This position will require some travel. Posting closes at 11:59 p.m. on May 31.

Departmental Technician 7-E9 - Elections Help Desk Unit - This departmental technician primarily serves as a help desk customer service representative, providing procedural information about campaign finance, disclosure, notarial acts and election law to candidates, committees, election administrators, notary providers and to the general public. This incumbent will be responsible for tier 1 support and triage for inbound calls and communication to the Bureau of Elections to either resolve or route to the appropriate advanced level support. The incumbent provides additional support for bureau wide project activities and initiatives. Incumbent coordinates the staff that provides coverage for the Bureau of Elections front desk that support in person appointments or customer questions. Posting closes at 11:59 p.m. on June 1.