Lake Charter Township will hold the Bridgman Public Schools election November 8, 2011. Polls will be open 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Absentee voter ballots are available and provide voters with a convenient method for casting a ballot when they are unable to attend the polls on election day.

As a registered voter, you may obtain an absentee voter ballot if you are:

- Age 60 years old or older
- Unable to vote without assistance at the polls
- Expecting to be out of town on election day
- In jail awaiting arraignment or trial
- Unable to attend the polls due to religious reasons
- Appointed to work as an election inspector in a precinct outside of your precinct of residence.

A person who registers to vote by mail must vote in person in the first election in which he or she participates. The restriction does not apply to overseas voters, voters who are handicapped or voters who are 60 years of age or older. (Voting in person on one governmental level clears the restriction on the other levels. For example, if a voter subject to the restriction votes in person at a school election, the voter would be free to obtain an absentee ballot for the first state election in which he or she wishes to participate.)

Requesting an Absentee Voter Ballot

Your request for an absentee voter ballot must be in writing and can be submitted to me, Gloria A. Payne your Lake Charter Township Clerk.

Once your request is received, your signature on the request will be checked against your voter registration record before a ballot is issued. You must be a registered voter to receive an absentee ballot. Requests for absentee voter ballots are processed immediately. Absentee voter ballots may be issued to you at your home address or any address outside of your city or township of residence.

After receiving your absentee voter ballot, you have until 8 p.m. on election day to complete the ballot and return it to my office. Your ballot will not be counted unless your signature is on the return envelope and matches your signature on file. If you received assistance voting the ballot, then the signature of the person who helped you must also be on the return envelope. Only you, a family member or person residing in your household, a mail carrier, or election official is authorized to deliver your signed absentee voter ballot to your clerk's office.

If an emergency, such as a sudden illness or family death prevents you from reaching the polls on election day, you may request an emergency absentee voter ballot. Requests for an emergency ballot must be submitted after the deadline for regular absentee voter ballots has passed but before 4 p.m. on election day. The emergency must have occurred at a time which made it impossible for you to apply for a regular absentee voter ballot.

Voting is one of the most cherished and fundamental rights in our country. If you are eligible to obtain an absentee voter ballot and cannot attend the polls on election day, use of the absentee voter ballot is strongly encouraged.

Other Voter Notices
The Bridgman Public Schools have moved their school election to the November ballot. Therefore, a May election will only occur for River Valley Schools and Lakeshore Schools.

Since there are 127 registered voters in the Lakeshore Public School District, and 192 registered voters in the River Valley School District. It is too expensive to hold an election for a total of 319 registered voters. So JUST FOR THE MAY 3, 2011 the Lakeshore and River Valley School Districts will be voting at BARODA TOWNSHIP HALL, 9091 First Street, Baroda, Michigan.

Should Lakeshore Schools voters wish to vote by absentee ballot, you can obtain the application form from Baroda Township Clerk, Wendie Shafer, and an absentee ballot will be issued to you. She can be reached at 269-422-2300.

River Valley Schools voters wishing to vote by absentee ballot, you can obtain the application form from Chikaming Township Clerk, Betsy Bohac, and an absentee ballot will be issued to you. She can be reached at 269-469-1676.

Three candidates running for the school board in Lakeshore Schools are: Melissa Essig, Jeffrey Hannan and Clark Lybbert. Four candidates running for school board in River Valley Schools are: L. Jovanovic, Joseph Zebell, Michael Ehlert and John-Cory German.

Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Reminder, please bring your photo identification with you to the polls.

If you would like to check and see if you are registered, please visit the following website: www.michigan.gov/vote. Or you may download the application to vote from here: Michigan Voter Registration Form

You may also register at any Secretary of State's office or locally with Lake Charter Township Hall.