The privilege and responsibility to vote is a hallmark of our engagement as citizens of a democracy. If you have not registered already, I strongly encourage you to register and participate in this process by voting on or before Election Day, Tuesday, November 3.

You can register and vote up to 8 p.m. on Election Day at your city or township clerk’s office. This includes the satellite Ann Arbor City Clerk office in the U-M Museum of Art for Ann Arbor residents. If you are already registered, you can vote in person on Election Day at your designated polling place.

To help foster participation, I am asking supervisors to make accommodations whenever possible for all employees to be able to vote, and I am encouraging faculty to avoid scheduling exams and other difficult-to-miss activities and content on Election Day.

The Washtenaw County Health Department Stay in Place order for undergraduates is currently set to expire at 7 a.m. Nov. 3. Further, the county has said that under the order, U-M students can leave their residence to vote, register to vote, work as poll workers/watchers, or participate/volunteer in any planned campaign or election events. Strict adherence to preventive measures is required.

I invite Michigan residents to visit the Michigan Secretary of State website for information on voting in person or by absentee ballot.  You also may verify your registration, confirm your polling place, and review your sample ballot at the Secretary of State’s Michigan Voter Information Center.

Registration information for residents of other states is available from the National Association of Secretaries of State and at our Turbovote site.

Voting information from the City of Ann Arbor is available at the City Clerk website.

This year, Michigan voters will make decisions about candidates for President and Vice President of the United States, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Michigan House of Representatives. Other positions on the ballot include State Supreme Court Justices, the State Board of Education, University of Michigan Board of Regents, Michigan State University Board of Trustees, Wayne State University Board of Governors, and local and judicial offices.

State and local ballot questions also deserve attention. I encourage you to educate yourselves on the specifics of the local ballot proposals and make an informed decision when casting your vote. A list of the local ballot proposals in Washtenaw County can be found at the county website.

The non-partisan Citizens Research Council of Michigan is an excellent resource on the statewide ballot proposals.

Even if you’re not eligible to vote in U.S. elections, you can become engaged and help your peers better understand the issues.

Finally, I know election cycles can be very stressful times for people in our society. We have posted information on support resources, in addition to the many opportunities we are providing to engage in the democratic process and learn about the issues.

I urge you to support democracy and exercise your right to vote.

Sincerely,

Mark Schlissel
President