Politics & Government

5 Things to Know about Election Day

Precinct 9 Chair Shannon Crepeau has tips for voting in Royal Oak on Tuesday.

Tuesday, Royal Oak voters go to the polls to vote for a mayor, three city commissioners and they will also be asked to decide on a number of proposals.

Shannon Crepeau, 34, has been an election inspector for Precinct 9 since 2004 and wishes everyone would get as excited about elections as she does.

Two years ago, the gung-ho Crepeau shared the following five tips for voters on Election Day. They are worth republishing:

1. Do your homework

Make sure you know in which precinct you vote.

“You can’t just show up anywhere that says ‘polling place’ and vote,” Crepreau said. “Because Precinct 9 is in the Royal Oak Farmers Market, people drive by and see the 'vote here' signs and stop in all the time.”

Find out what's happening in Royal Oakwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

She said election inspectors are happy to assist voters in determining their precincts, but precinct maps are posted on the city's website.

If you are in a hurry, it’s also helpful to know what is on the ballot beforehand. See what’s on the ballot in Royal Oak. 

Find out what's happening in Royal Oakwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

2. Bring your driver’s license

You should bring your Michigan driver's license with you for identification. If you forget it or don’t have one, don’t sweat.

“You can sign an affidavit on the back of application to vote if you don’t have a license with you,” Crepeau said.

3. Leave your cell phone in your pocket

You may not use a cell phone inside your polling place so leave it in your purse, car or pocket.  You may also not wear political garb, buttons or be holding on to campaign literature. All are cause for asking you to leave the polling site.

“And don’t yell who to vote for,” Crepeau said. “We’ve had people try that. It doesn’t work.”  

4. Don't vote when you should be eating

The polls are open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. for all elections in Michigan.

Crepeau doesn’t anticipate long lines, but if you are in a big hurry don’t vote first thing in the morning, or at lunch or dinnertime. That’s when lines are the longest. Don’t wait until the end of day the either.

“If you are in line at 8 o’clock, you can vote, but the lines at the end of the day are some of the longest,” she said. 

5. Election inspectors are your friends

Election inspectors are there to help, not hinder.

“Some people think we are trying to stop them from voting,” Crepeau said. “We are just following rules.”

The election inspectors are trained every year to answer questions and assist voters, but they cannot explain proposals, touch your ballot or allow you to vote outside of your precinct. 

If you have a problem, Crepeau said to seek the assistance of the Precinct Chair of the polling place.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here