Elections

In addition to our regular hours, the clerk's office will be open Saturday, August 1, from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. if anyone needs to register to vote, spoil a ballot, or ask an election-related question.

If you are dropping off a voted absentee ballot, please use our handy after-hours drop box at the entrance to the township office.

Peninsula Township 2020 Election Dates
- August 4, 2020, State primary
- November 3, 2020, General election

Want to Vote Absentee?
With August and November elections right around the proverbial corner and COVID-19 continuing to spread, Peninsula Township is urging all registered voters who aren't already on the permanent absentee voter (AV) list to email clerk Becky Chown at clerk@peninsulatownship.com to ask to be placed on this list. All registered voters who are on this list will receive an application and ballot by mail. Absentee ballots cannot be forwarded, so make sure we have your correct address for each election!

Want to Vote in Person?
Voters who do not wish to vote an absentee ballot who live in Precinct 1 vote at Peninsula Township Hall on Center Road. Voters who do not wish to vote an absentee ballot who live in Precinct 2 vote at First Congregational Church at the base of the peninsula.

If you have any questions about elections, absentee voting, or which precinct you live in, please contact the clerk's office at 231-223-7321.

Still Need to Register to Vote?
With the passage of Proposal 18-3, unregistered electors (or registered electors who have moved and need to update their addresses) who wish to participate in an upcoming election now have the following options:

They may register to vote in person at a secretary of state branch office, at their township clerk’s office, by mail, or online at the Michigan Voter Information Center (website opens in new tab) no later than the 15th day prior to the election. To register online, electors must have a Michigan driver’s license or Personal Identification Card (PID) and must qualify to vote in the state of Michigan (i.e., be a citizen, be 18 years old, and be a resident)

They may register to vote during the 14 days prior to the election, including on Election Day, by applying in person at their township clerk’s office. Registering in this way requires them to show proof of residency. Accepted proof includes:

Michigan driver’s license or PID with current address
Federal or state government-issued photo identification with current address
U.S. passport with current address
Military identification card with photo and current address
Tribal identification card with photo and current address
Michigan driver’s license or PID without current address but with other proof of residency that shows the current address such as a utility bill, a bank statement, a paycheck, a government check, or another government document

Individuals who have no picture ID but who wish to register to vote may sign an affidavit and show proof of residency. These voters will be registered and will be allowed to vote a challenged ballot rather than a regular ballot.

If the prospective voter cannot provide proof of residency, the voter will not be registered and will be ineligible to vote.

Please note: voters who register to vote on Election Day must do so in the clerk’s office. They may not register at a precinct on Election Day. Also, voters who wish to return a voted absentee ballot on Election Day must bring it to the clerk’s office. They may not drop it off at a precinct.

Information

Contact the clerk's office to get an application or visit the Michigan Secretary of State website to download an Absentee Voter Ballot Application (external PDF opens in new tab)

Completed applications can be dropped off, mailed, or emailed to:

Rebecca Chown
Township Clerk
Peninsula Township
13235 Center Road
Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 223-7321
Email: clerk@peninsulatownship.com

View a Sample Ballot
(website opens in new tab)

Absentee Voter Ballots

Due to the passage of the statewide ballot proposal 18-3 in November of 2018, anyone in the state of Michigan who is registered to vote may ask to be placed on the permanent absentee voter list. Individuals on this list will receive an application prior to every election. Upon returning the application, they will be issued a ballot.

Due to COVID-19, for the 2020 elections, all registered voters are being encouraged to vote absentee, but they still need to complete and return an application. This application can be accessed by clicking on Absentee Voter Ballot Application (website opens in new tab) online or by contacting the clerk's office.

The completed application(s) can then be dropped off, mailed, emailed, or faxed to:
Rebecca Chown,
Township Clerk
Peninsula Township
13235 Center Road
Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 223-7321
Fax: (231) 223-7117
Email: clerk@peninsulatownship.com