Farmington and Farmington Hills voters who already have their absentee ballots filled out can skip the regular line when early voting opens Saturday, July 25, thanks to new express lanes at Oakland County voting sites.
Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown announced the express lanes as a way to cut wait times during the nine-day early voting period, which runs through Sunday, August 2. Voters who bring a completed absentee ballot to their early voting site can feed it through the tabulator themselves, confirming on the spot that the ballot was accepted without errors.
"Express lanes for voters who bring their absentee ballot to their early voting site is just one additional improvement we've made this year," Brown said in a statement reported by The Oakland Press on Wednesday, July 22.
Where Farmington area voters go
The Costick Activities Center, 28600 W. 11 Mile Road in Farmington Hills, serves as the early voting site for both Farmington and Farmington Hills residents, according to the City of Farmington Hills' official Notice of Election.
Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily except Thursday, July 30, when the site opens at noon and stays open until 8 p.m.
The Notice of Election also lists the Waterford Oaks Activities Center, 2800 Watkins Lake Road in Waterford, as an additional early voting site for Farmington Hills electors.
Three ways to return an absentee ballot
Voters holding an absentee ballot have three options, according to the county clerk's office:
- Use the express lane at an early voting site to tabulate the ballot immediately.
- Hand-deliver the signed and sealed ballot to a local clerk's office.
- Drop it in a community secure ballot drop box.
All ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, August 4, to be counted.
Watch for crossed party lines
Brown specifically warned that August primaries produce more spoiled ballots than other elections, largely because voters accidentally cross party lines. Feeding a ballot through the tabulator at an early voting site catches that mistake before it's final.
Once a ballot goes through the tabulator, the vote cannot be changed.
Key dates and contacts
- Early voting: Saturday, July 25, through Sunday, August 2
- Election Day: Tuesday, August 4, polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Farmington Hills City Clerk: Carly Lindahl, 31555 W. 11 Mile Road, (248) 871-2410
- Extended clerk office hours: Thursday, July 30, 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, August 1, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Election Day, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voters can track their absentee ballot, view a sample ballot, or find their polling place at michigan.gov/vote.
