City Clerk Services and Information

Voter Registration    Precincts        Absentee Voting        Freedom of Information        Open Meetings

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Voter Registration
New Residents may register to vote at the City Offices or at any Secretary of State Branch Office. Registration is permanent, provided you maintain residency requirements as provided by Statute. Voters registered by the 30th day preceding an election are eligible to vote in that election. A person having the following qualifications may register to vote:

• shall be a citizen of the United States;
• shall not be less than 18 years of age; and
• shall be a resident of the City on or before the thirtieth day before the election in which they plan to vote.

Moving within the City or a name change, requires that you re-register at the City Offices or Secretary of State. If you have any questions regarding whether you are qualified to register to vote in the City, please contact the City Clerk at (586) 727-7571 or you may check your voter registration and precinct information as well as view sample voting ballots at the Michigan Secretary of State's PUBLIUS website.

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Precincts
Currently the City is divided into two precincts (click here for the PRECINCT MAP). All areas of the City north of the centerline of Division (32 Mile Road) are in Precinct #1. All areas of the City south of the centerline of Division (32 Mile Road) are in Precinct #2. Both Precinct #1and Precinct #2 vote at the Richmond Community Center, 36164 Festival Drive, located in Beebe Street Memorial Park.  Since the State of Michigan passed the Consolidated Election Law, all voting within the City of Richmond is handled by the City Clerk.  All City residents vote at the Richmond Community Center for School, Local, State, County, and Federal elections.

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Absentee Voting
Absentee ballots are generally available at least 20 days prior to an election. Registered voters are eligible to receive an Absent Voter Ballots if one of the following provisions are met:

1. Are physically unable to attend the polls with the assistance of another individual.
2. Cannot attend the polls because of Religious beliefs.
3. Have been appointed an election precinct inspector in a precinct other that the precinct where you reside.
4. Cannot attend the polls because you are confined to jail awaiting arraignment or trial.
5. You are 60 years of age or older
6. Expect to absent from the City the entire time the polls are open on election day.

For every election, Absent Voter Ballot Applications, are automatically processed and mailed to all eligible voters 60 years of age and older. Any other eligible voter may obtain an application by calling or coming into the City Offices. If time is limited, a voter may also submit a written request, which would include the name, address, reason for requesting the ballot and an original signature. Once the signed application or request has been received, the ballot can either be given or mailed to the voter. When requesting an Absent Voter Ballot, be sure to include an address where the ballot will be sent, if it is an address outside of the community. If no address is indicated, the ballot will be mailed to the voters registered address.

State law limits the persons who may be in lawful possession of an absent voter ballot (unvoted or voted) to: 1) the voter; 2) a member of the voter's immediate family who has been asked to return the ballot; 3) a person residing in the voter's household who has been asked to return the ballot; 4) a person whose job it is to handle mail and 5) the clerk or other authorized election official. A person in illegal possession of an absent voter ballot (voted or unvoted) is guilty of a felony.

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Freedom of Information (FOI)
Any person may ask to inspect, copy or receive a copy of a public records. There are no qualifications such as residency or age that must be met in order to make a request. In general, all records except those specifically cited as exceptions are covered by the Freedom of Information Act. The act applies to any handwriting, typewriting, printing, Photostatting, photographing, photocopying and every other means of recording. The City must respond to a request for a public record within five business days. The City can notify the requestor in writing and extend the time limit by ten days.

A government agency can charge a fee, but it must be limited to actual duplication, mailing and clerical labor costs.

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Michigan's Open Meetings Law
The Open Meetings Law requires that all meetings of City Boards/Commissions be open to the public and be held in a place available to the general public.

The law further stipulates that:

• All decisions of a City Board/Commission be made at a meeting open to the public
• All deliberations of a City Board/Commission constituting a quorum shall take place at a meeting open to the public
• A person shall not be required, as a condition of attendance at a meeting, to register or otherwise provide his name or other information
• A person shall be permitted to address a meeting of a City Board/Commission under the rules established and recorded by the Board/Commission
• A person shall not be excluded from a public meeting except for a breach of the peace actually committed at the meeting
• The City must post a notice, within 10 days after the first meeting of the new calendar year, stating the dates, times, and places of the regular meetings of the Boards/Commissions.
• For a special meeting, a public notice stating the date, time, and place of the meeting shall be posted at least 18 hours before the meeting.

The Law does provide for a City Board/Commission to meet in a Closed Session for only the following purposes:

• To consider the dismissal, suspension, or disciplining of, or to hear complaint or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual agent, when the named person requests a closed hearing.
• For strategy and negotiation sessions connected with the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement when either negotiating party requests a closed hearing.
• To consider the purchase or lease of real property up to the time an option to purchase or lease that real property is obtained.
• To consult with an attorney regarding trial or settlement strategy in connection with specific pending litigation.
• To review the specific contents of an application for employment or appointment to a public office when the candidate request that the application remain confidential. All interviews for employment or appointment to a public office shall be held in an open meeting.

Each Board/Commission must keep minutes of each meeting showing the date, time, place, members present, members absent, any decision made at an open meeting and the purpose or purposes for which a closed session is held.

Minutes are public records open to public inspection and are available at the Office of the City Clerk, Richmond City Hall, 68225 Main Street, Richmond, MI 48062; (586) 727-7571.

Proposed meeting minutes are available for public inspection 8 business days after the meeting to which they refer. Approved meeting minutes are available for public inspection 5 business days after the meeting at which the minutes were approved by the Board/Commission.

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This page was last updated on 08/28/06 09:40 AM.  Copyright 2003 City of Richmond, Michigan.