Chris Thomas

As your former Michigan Director of Elections for 36 years, I am pleased to tell you voting is easier than it has ever been in Michigan. In 2018 you — the voters — made history and modernized our voting system. When Michiganders in nearly every county overwhelmingly passed Proposal 3, voters made Michigan a national leader once again, with a voting system that works.

As someone who worked as a non-partisan administrator with both Democratic and Republican secretaries of state, my team and I overcame obstacles to positive changes.

We managed transformations in Michigan’s election system by creating a statewide voter registration file — a model for the country — acquiring a paper-based, secure voting system, and implementing random performance audits of clerks after each election to ensure election officials followed all processes required by law. I can assure you, while our new system may have some initial kinks, Michigan’s statewide network of election officials and experts can and will resolve them by Election Day this November.

Registering to vote has never been easier

Michigan’s voting system today is already improving your access to the ballot. Thanks to the passage of Proposal 3, all eligible voters can register to vote through Election Day and have the option to cast their ballot beforehand. Now all eligible Michigan citizens can register to vote and cast their ballot when it is most convenient for them.

No Michigan citizens are barred from voting because they missed the deadline to register. Right now, you can register and vote in-person at your local township or city clerk’s office. Yes, you may register through 8 p.m. on Election Day, including for eight hours over the weekend before the election. You will need your Michigan driver’s license or state-issued ID with a current address, or one of the following with your name on it: current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government check, or other government document.

Voting has never been more convenient

Michigan voters have more power to choose how they vote. Now you are eligible to request an absentee ballot. Absolutely no reason is required, thanks to Proposal 3. Absentee voters may vote at home and return the ballot by mail, or return the ballot in person to your local clerk.

Make a plan now. To vote absentee, go to your city or township clerk as soon as possible. Remember to sign the ballot return envelope. Being this close to the election, it is best to hand-deliver your ballot to the clerk. If you are unable to deliver your ballot, see the instructions that came with the ballot to determine who can do that.

These improvements to Michigan’s voting system make it possible for more citizens to participate in our democracy and to cast a ballot according to their schedules and abilities. The more Michiganders who vote, the stronger our democracy is, period.

Why you should care, if you’re already registered and voting in Michigan

In the upcoming primary your vote counts twofold: You play an active role in our democracy, and you can expose any voting challenges that arise. Report any issues you experience to ensure they are resolved before Election Day in November.

The Election Protection Hotline is currently available at (866) OUR-VOTE to troubleshoot and record any issues voters experience this election. Please report any bumps in the road so our new voting system will function better. I assure you that patience this election will continue to enable Michigan’s election officials to address concerns and make course corrections. Together we will strengthen the system by identifying issues and making adjustments in preparation for the Presidential Election Nov. 3. For the first time, post-election audits will bolster security and accuracy of the election.

Please remember the workers you encounter in a clerk’s office or in a polling place on Election Day are your neighbors who have signed up for a very long day serving our democracy. Poll workers are the front line of democracy, so be kind to them and thank them for their service.

There’s one more thing you can do (besides vote)

Tell the people in your life about their voting rights to ensure that more voices are heard in 2020. Remember, every eligible person can still register to vote, now through Election Day. Share resources like Michiganvoting.org and Michigan.gov/vote, where all eligible Michigan voters can learn where their clerk’s office is, receive directions to their polling place, track their absentee ballot and see a sample ballot. Should any problems voting arise, let fellow voters know the Election Protection Hotline is active now to troubleshoot at (866) OUR-VOTE.

Our democracy is strengthened when those who can vote do vote, when election officials accurately administer the election, and when advocacy groups ensure problems are solved. Now is the time. Choose when it works best for you and vote.

Chris Thomas served as Michigan's Director of Elections for 36 years.