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County Clerk's Offices Stay Open Late For Last Minute Voter Registration

DETROIT (WWJ) - Are you registered to vote? Tuesday is your last chance to do it if you want to cast a ballot in the Nov. 8 presidential election.

With procrastinators in mind, county clerks in metro Detroit are offering extended office hours for one day only, Oct. 11.

The Oakland County Clerk's Office, at 1200 N. Telegraph Rd. in Pontiac, will be open until 8 p.m. (use the north entrance);  Wayne County Clerk's Office, at the Coleman A Young Municipal Center, 2 Woodward Ave., Suite 102 in Detroit; and the Macomb County Clerk's Office, 40 North Main in Mount Clemens, with both be open until midnight.

"Regular business hours don't fit everyone's schedule. We received requests for extended hours and are always looking for ways to make our services more accessible to all Oakland County residents. The extended hours next Tuesday will give people more time to register to vote and conduct business with the Clerk's Office," said Lisa Brown, Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds.

Detroit City Clerk, Janice Winfrey says she loves to see the push for people to get registered to vote.

She hopes the momentum of registering translates into people actually using their right to vote on election day.

In order to register to vote you must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen.
  • Be 18 years of age or older by election day (November 8, 2016).
  • Not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison.

Macomb County Clerk/Register of Deeds Carmella Sabaugh wanted to remind everyone that Michigan residents do not have to declare a political party preference when registering to vote and are free to vote a straight-ticket or a mixed-ticket on the partisan section of the ballot if they wish.

“"Your vote is your voice, but you must register to make your voice heard,”" said Macomb County Clerk/Register of Deeds Carmella Sabaugh in a statement. "“Representative government is not a spectator sport. Everyone needs to get in the game.”"

In addition to registering to vote, she's encouraging Macomb County residents to vote an absentee ballot this election.

"In the 2008 Presidential Election, 117,000 voters voted absentee, and 113,000 did so in 2012.  This year, I expect over 125,000 will vote by absentee ballot in Macomb County,"” said Sabaugh. (Learn more about absentee voting in Macomb County and download an application here).

Detroit, City Councilwoman Janeé Ayers had this message for complacent Detroiters.

"You have to do it," she said in an interview with WWJ's Vickie Thomas. "Because regardless if you think you vote doesn't count you have to live in a county where somebody is deciding laws for you, and so you should take part in the process."

Voters in all counties registering to vote should bring a government-issued photo ID and/or proof of residency.

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