Frequent Buttons

Department Pages

Boards, Commissions and Authorities

Frequent Buttons

Service Pages

• All City of Alma Buildings remain closed to the public in response to the COVID-19 virus.

City Services > Frequent Buttons > Elections

Elections

City Clerk, Sara Anderson- (989) 463-8336
Visit the City Clerk page.

Voter Information and Registration

Voters may register to vote in the State of Michigan no later than 15 days prior to an election at the Secretary of State Office. On day 0-14 before the election date, in person registration needs to take place at the City Clerk's office. Residency Verification needs to be supplied to the Clerk.

Visit the Michigan Voter Information Center. Their website provides a vast assortment of information related to voter registration and election administration in Michigan.

From the Michigan Voter Information Center, you can determine if you are registered to vote, find your polling location, contact your local election official, learn to use your voting equipment, find answers to frequently asked questions, and view your sample ballot.

Individuals Are Eligible to Register to Vote If They Meet the Following Qualifications:

• A United States citizen.

• A resident of the State of Michigan and a 30-day resident of the City of Alma.

• At least 18 years of age by Election Day.

Visit the Secretary of State website to see if you are already registered to vote.

Download a Michigan Voter Registration Application at the link below.

Individuals may also register at the Secretary of State's Office, City Clerk's Office, County Clerk's Office, or any Armed Forces recruitment office.

Download a File:

Michigan Voter Registration Application (PDF)

Voting Precincts

The City of Alma consists of 3 voting precincts. The voting polls are:

Precinct 1
First Presbyterian Church
495 Charles Ave.

Precinct 2
Peace Lutheran Church
325 Warwick Drive

Precinct 3
Alma Public Library
500 E. Superior St.

Download a File:

Voting Precinct Map, City of Alma (PDF)

Election Inspector

A precinct Election Inspector for the City of Alma shall be a qualified and registered elector of Gratiot County, shall have a good reputation, and shall have sufficient education and clerical ability to perform the duties of the office. A person must file an application in his own handwriting to the City Clerk.

At the link below, please find an Election Inspector Application. Apply to be an election inspector by filling it out and submitting it to the City Clerk. Also at a link below, please find an Election Inspector/Worker Job Description.

The City uses the E-Pollbook. Applicants should be computer literate.

Download a File:

Election Inspector Application (PDF)

Election Inspector/Worker Job Description (PDF)

Documents and Links

City of Alma Election Results

Download Documents:

Election Results, November 6, 2018 (PDF)

Election Results, November 8, 2016 (PDF)

Election Results, November 4, 2014 (PDF)

Election Results, August 5, 2014 (PDF)

Election Results, May 6, 2014 (PDF)

City Commission Election Petitions

The filing deadline for nominating petitions, per State Statute, is no later than 4:00 p.m. on the fifteenth Tuesday before the August Primary, or April 21, 2020.

Although the Municipal Building is closed to the public, the City Clerk will be in the building on April 20 & 21, 2020, to accept nominating petition filings. Please call 989-463-9500 or 989-285-5505 to contact the Clerk when you arrive at the Municipal Building. Proper precautions will be taken for in-person filing at the Clerk's Office.

Nominating petition packets are available at the City Clerk’s office. Please contact the City Clerk at 989-463-9500 or 989-285-5505 to pick up a packet.

City voters will elect four members to the City Commission in November 2020. In the event that there are nine or more interested parties, a primary election will be held in August 2020, narrowing the contest to eight candidates.

Commissioners whose terms are expiring this year are:
Roger Allman
Gregory Mapes
Larry Mott
Nicholas Piccolo

The only requirement to be a City Commissioner is that you are a registered voter of the City of Alma.

Signatures must be gathered within the 180 day period immediately preceding the date of filing. The City Charter requires the petition be "signed by no less than twenty-five (25) nor more than 50 registered electors of the City". The $100 fee in lieu of petition filing is not available due to Charter restrictions.

A reminder about Voter ID

You will be asked to provide identification when you visit the polls on Election Day, but you can still vote if you don’t have ID.

Valid picture ID includes a Michigan driver’s license or state identification card. For a complete list, click here.

If you don't have picture ID or didn't bring it to the polls, you can still vote. You have to sign a brief affidavit stating that you are not in possession of picture ID. Your ballot will be included with all others and counted on Election Day. Find out more.

Absentee Voting

New rights for Michigan voters in effect: You may vote absentee without a reason

Because of the passage of the state constitutional amendment in November 2018, all eligible and registered voters in Michigan may request an absent voter ballot without providing a reason.

Requesting an absent voter ballot if you are registered to vote at your current address

If you are registered to vote at your current address, your request for an absent voter ballot must be in writing and can be submitted to your city or township clerk. (For assistance obtaining the address of your city or township clerk, see Michigan.gov/Vote) You may request an absent voter ballot through the mail by mailing the application, large print application, a letter, a postcard or a pre-printed application form obtained from your local clerk's office. You can also submit these requests by fax or by scanning and e-mailing the form, as long as a signature is visible. Requests to have an absent voter ballot mailed to you must be received by your clerk no later than 5 p.m. the Friday before the election.

You also may request an absent voter ballot in person at a city or township clerk's office until 4 p.m. on the Monday before an election. If you request an absent voter ballot on Monday, you must vote it in person at the clerk's office.

Once your request is received by the local clerk, your signature on the request will be checked against your voter registration record before a ballot is issued.
You must be a registered voter to receive an absent voter ballot (but you can register and request an absent voter ballot at the same time - see below). Requests for absent voter ballots are processed immediately. Absent voter ballots may be issued to you at your home address or any address outside of your city or township of residence.

After receiving your absent voter ballot, you have until 8 p.m. on Election Day to complete the ballot and return it to the clerk's office. Your ballot won't be counted unless your signature is on the return envelope and matches your signature on file. If you received assistance voting the ballot, then the signature of the person who helped you also must be on the return envelope. Only you, a family member or person residing in your household, a mail carrier or election official is authorized to deliver your signed absent voter ballot to your clerk's office.

If an emergency, such as a sudden illness or family death, prevents you from reaching the polls on Election Day, you may request an emergency absent voter ballot. Requests for an emergency ballot must be submitted after the deadline for regular absent voter ballots has passed but before 4 p.m. on Election Day. The emergency must have occurred at a time which made it impossible for you to apply for a regular absent voter ballot. Please contact your local clerk for more information about emergency absent voter ballots.

Requesting an absent voter ballot at the same time as registering to vote
You may request an absent voter ballot at the same time as registering to vote. If you register on the Monday before an election and request an absent voter ballot at the same time, you must vote it at the clerk's office. If you register on Election Day, you may either request an absent voter ballot and vote it at the clerk's office, or instead of requesting an absent voter ballot you may go to the precinct and vote.

If you would like to be placed on the permanent absentee voter list, please contact the City Clerk's office. Please note: No ballots are sent automatically; however, members of the permanent absentee list will be sent an application for a ballot that must be returned prior to each election you wish to participate in.

Registered Voters in Confinement

Registered voters who have been convicted and sentenced for a crime and are in confinement as a result of that conviction and sentencing may not vote during the time they are in confinement. Confinement is defined by Michigan Department of Prisons for the purpose of voting as incarcerated in jail or prison, under house arrest, on a tether or serving in a work release program. Voting rights are restored once they have completed their sentence, even if they have been convicted and sentenced for a felony charge.

If you are charged with a crime, but not convicted or sentenced, you may vote even if you are in jail. Contact the City Clerk's office for directions on applying for an absentee ballot for the election you wish to vote in. If your sentencing prevents you from entering public school grounds and your precinct voting location is located in a school, please contact the City Clerk's office about voting absentee ballot.