KENT COUNTY, Mich — Kent County election officials are reminding voters what they need to know ahead of the upcoming election.
On February 27, West Michigan will cast their ballot for the Presidential Primary Election. But first, they must select which political party ballot they wish to vote for.
You must complete the Presidential Primary Ballot Selection form by Friday, Feb. 23 in order to have your ballot sent to you, Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons says.
The form can be submitted online with a Michigan driver's license or state ID here. It can also be filled out and returned to your township or city clerk's office.
“State law requires voters to select their party preference for presidential primaries,” said Lyons. “And it’s important to clarify that this provision does not register voters with the particular party they’ve selected for this election; it simply allows clerks to provide them the correct ballot.”
The ballots will be different for Democratic and Republican voters, each listing the party's respective candidates. Democrats have three candidates to choose from, while Republicans have seven.
In areas with local ballot proposals, there will be a section on the ballot for those propositions. If a selection form is not submitted, these will be the only items that appear on your ballot.
"The Presidential Primary Election differs from other primary elections in which both Republican and Democratic Party candidates are listed on the same ballot, and we want voters to be aware so they’re not caught off-guard,” said Lyons. "For this election, there are two or possibly three separate ballots, and voters are required to pick one in order to cast their vote."
You may get texts, emails, mail or calls from election officials about submitting your selection form. Lyons says these are not spam, just reminders before the election, but they will never ask for sensitive information like social security numbers.
Find your voting location in Kent County here. See your sample ballot here.
More information on Kent County voting can be found here.
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