Elections



Two Down, One to Go!

Absentee ballots for the November 3, 2020, General Election were mailed on Thursday, September 24. 
  • If you'd like to track the progress of your ballot, visit www.mi.gov/vote. This website allows voters to see exactly when their ballot was mailed to them as well as when we receive their voted ballot back in our office.
  • If you have filled out an absentee voter application for this election and don't receive your ballot by October 1, please call us.
  • In addition to our regular hours, the clerk's office will be open Saturday, October 31, from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. for anyone who needs to register, 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. It is safe and secure, and we check it three times a day.
  • If you are mailing your voted absentee ballot, it only needs a single first-class stamp.
 
If you put your ballot in the drop box by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, your ballot will be counted.

Still Want to Vote Absentee?
  • Thanks to the passage of the statewide ballot proposal 18-3 in November of 2018, any registered voter in the state of Michigan 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 it, they will be issued a ballot. 
  • Due to COVID-19, all registered voters are encouraged to vote absentee in the upcoming election, but they still need to complete and return an application. This application can be accessed online at Absentee Voter Ballot Application (click on the link to open the website in a new tab) or by contacting the clerk's office. 
Completed application(s) 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

Absentee ballots cannot be forwarded, so make sure we have your correct address! 

If you are returning your absentee ballot by mail, it takes a single first-class stamp. If you would rather not mail your  ballot, please drop it in the drop box outside the township offices. Our drop box is safe and secure, and we check it a minimum of three times per day. 

The state-mandated deadline to spoil an absentee ballot is 10:00 a.m. on Monday, November 2, 2020. The state-mandated deadline to request an absentee ballot is 4:00 p.m. on Monday, November 2, 2020. Individuals who still need to register to vote may do so up to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day; those individuals may vote an absentee ballot or vote in their precinct.

Prefer to Vote in Person?
  • Registered voters in Precinct 1 who wish to vote in person vote at Peninsula Township Hall at 13235 Center Road. Registered voters in Precinct 2 who wish to vote in person vote at First Congregational Church at 6105 Center Road 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.
  • Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line at 8:00 p.m., you will be allowed to vote.
​
Still Need to Register to Vote?
Unregistered electors (or registered electors who have moved and need to update their addresses) 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:
  1. Michigan driver’s license or PID with current address
  2. Federal or state government-issued photo identification with current address
  3. U.S. passport with current address
  4. Military identification card with photo and current address
  5. Tribal identification card with photo and current address
  6. 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 or drop it in the drop box outside the township offices. They may not drop it off at a precinct.

​Please reach out to the clerk's office if we can answer any questions!

Information


Still need to fill out an absentee voter application? Click on Absentee Voter Ballot Application (external PDF opens in new tab) to download an application to vote absentee.

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)