The City Clerk’s Office will be open for additional hours between now and the Nov. 8 presidential general election.
The Clerk’s Office, Room 111 at City Hall, 10 N. Division St., will be open the following dates and hours:
• 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18
• 8 a.m. – noon Saturday, Oct. 29
• 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1
• 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5
As outlined in the Michigan Election Law, the Nov. 5 open hours are required for anyone who wishes to stop in and apply for an absentee ballot. The Clerk’s Office added additional hours to accommodate as many voters as necessary, due to expected high election turnout.
During the Saturday open hours, the Clerk’s Office will not process Freedom of Information Act requests, permits or licenses. This is strictly for absentee ballot applicants. The Clerk’s Office is typically open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
At this time, absentee voter ballots are available only for the six reasons listed on the application:
• Voter is 60 years of age or older.
• Voter will be absent from the community in which registered for the entire time the polls are open on election day.
• Voter is physically unable to attend the polls without the assistance of another.
• Voter cannot attend the polls because of the tenets of his/her religion.
• Voter has been appointed to be an election precinct inspector in a precinct other than the one in which he/she resides.
• Voter cannot attend the polls because he/she is confined to jail awaiting arraignment or trial.
Get an absentee voter application and more information on this and other election topics at the city’s website, www.battlecreekmi.gov. Scroll down to the City Spotlight section and click on the elections link.