By Mary Drier
Staff Writer
CARO — Tuscola County will have two millage requests on the Tuesday, Feb. 24, election ballot so efforts are underway to get the word out on that and the deadline to register to vote is approaching.
One ballot issue requests approval of .20 of a mill for six years to fund the Tuscola County Economic Development Corporation (EDC), and the other requests approval of .17 of a mill for six years to fund the Tuscola County Veteran Affairs Office.
While most people understand the veteran affairs office deals with helping veterans with services, most people have no concept of what the EDC does.
To help voters better understand the EDC, a special video presentation and a pamphlet were developed that explains what it does, has testimonials of businesses the agency has helped, and explains its grant writing and master plan services, gap financing, more.
The plan to distribute the pamphlets throughout the EDC developed and to show the video as a lead in feature at local movie theaters in the county, said EDC Communication Director Vicky Sherry.
Plus, it will soon be posted on the county’s Website www.tuscolacounty.org, and EDC Board members will be going to meetings and civic groups to explain the need and benefits passing the millage will provide.
As for the veterans’ millage issue, Tuscola County Veteran Affairs Director Ron Amend, explained if the millage is approved it would provide enough money to fund the office full time instead of part time, allow for more services, a new transport vehicle, and more money to help veterans with emergency needs like housing, food, and utility costs.
“Our service van has 197,000 miles on it. In the past month, $1,800 was spent on repairs,” said Amend. “It was down for over a week where we couldn’t dive veterans to their doctor’s appointments.”
Michigan has about 660,417 veterans; and of that number, Tuscola has about 4,739 veterans. Those numbers are expected to grow as more Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans return and age. Plus, as Vietnam and World War II veterans age there is more need and demand for services.
The last day to register to vote, is Thursday, Jan. 26.
For those who are “snow birds” and go to warm states, they can vote by absentee ballots; and those who will not be able to get the polls on that date, and also vote by absent ballot.
“Absent Voter Ballots are available for all elections. They provide voters with a convenient method for casting a ballot when they are unable to attend the polls on election day,” explained Tuscola County Clerk Jodi Fetting.
The deadline to get an absentee ballot in the mail is 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 21, and the deadline to get one in person is 4 p.m., Monday, Feb. 23.
As a registered voter, a resident may get an absent voter ballot if they are: age 60 years old or older, unable to vote without assistance at the polls, expect to be out of town on election day, in jail awaiting arraignment or trial, unable to attend the polls due to religious reasons, or appointed to work as an election inspector in a precinct outside of their 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,” explained Fetting.
However, the restriction does not apply to overseas voters, voters who are disabled 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.
A person’s request for an absent ballot must include one of the six statutory reasons listed and the person’s signature.
A person must request an absent voter ballot by mailing the application, a letter, a postcard, or a pre-printed application form obtained from their local clerk’s office. Requests to have an absent voter ballot mailed must be received by the person’s clerk no later than 2 p.m. the Saturday Feb. 21. They can can also be picked up on until 4 p.m., Monday, Feb. 23.
Once a request is received by the local clerk, the person’s signature on the request will be checked against their voter registration record before a ballot is issued.
“A person must be a registered voter to receive an absent voter ballot,” said Fetting noting that requests for absent voter ballots are processed immediately.”
Absent voter ballots may be issued to a person’s home address or any address outside of your city or township of residence for those who leave the area for winter or travel.
A person’s ballot will not be counted unless their signature is on the return envelope and matches the person’s signature on file.
And, if a person receives assistance with voting on the ballot, the signature of the person who helped must also be on the return envelope. Only the voter, a family member or person residing in your household, a mail carrier, or election official is authorized to deliver a voters signed absent voter ballot to persons clerk’s office.
In addition if there is an emergency, such as a sudden illness or family death prevents a person from reaching the polls on election day, the voter can request an emergency absent voter ballot. Requests for an emergency ballot must be submitted after the deadline for regular absent 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 a person to apply for a regular absent voter ballot.
A request for an absent voter ballot must be in writing and can be submitted to a person’s city or township clerk.
For help in finding the address of your city or township clerk, go to the Website http://www.Michigan.gov/vote.