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Split tickets allowed & 6 things to know ahead of the general election in Michigan

Split tickets allowed & 6 things to know ahead of the general election in Michigan
Posted at 8:43 AM, Oct 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-30 08:45:46-04

The Michigan midterm election is Tuesday, Nov. 6, and hundreds of thousands of people will head to the polls to vote for governor, Senate, House of representatives, several proposals and much more.

Ahead of the election, we have six different things you should know before you go to vote on Tuesday.

Split tickets are allowed

While you can't vote "split ticket" during the primary election in Michigan, you can split your ticket during the general election. That means you can vote for individual candidates of your choice in any party.

Poll hours

Polls will open in Michigan at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m., giving you 13 hours to vote. If you are standing in line at 8 p.m. you will be permitted to vote.

Bring ID to the polls

You will be asked to show a photo ID at the polls. That includes a driver's license or state-issued ID card, passport, military ID, student ID with a photo from high school or accredited college, tribal ID or any other federal or state government-issued photo ID.

If you do not have photo ID or forgot it, you can still vote. You will have to sign an affidavit stating that you are not in possession of a photo ID.

Sample ballots available online

If you'd like to see what your ballot will look like ahead of the Michigan primary, the Michigan Secretary of State's Office allows you to find your polling location and view a sample ballot that will look just like the one you will see when you arrive. Learn more here

Don't wear any candidate apparel

According to the SOS, the state has banned election-related materials at the polls for decades. That includes clothing, buttons, pamphlets, fliers and stickers. 

You cannot display them and you have to be more than 100 feet away from the entrance to a polling place to display such items. 

If you do go to the polls with election-related items, you will be asked to cover it or remove it.

No photos, please

While at the polls during the voting period, you cannot take any photos or videos, and the use of video cameras, still cameras or other recording devices is strictly prohibited. 

Problems at the polls

If you have any problems at the polls or are experiencing longer than average wait times, we want to hear about them.

Email us your problems or long wait times at tips@wxyz.com or by sending us a message on our Facebook page here.

You can also reach out to your county clerk or call the Michigan Bureau of Elections at 517-373-2540.

To learn more about the elections, visit the Secretary of State website here.