Important Voting Information
Important Voting Information
February 28, 2012
(Adapted from City of Ferndale Press Release, Ferndale 115 News, Feb. 1, 2012 ed)
Michigan’s lawmakers have amended the State’s Election Law to require a statewide presidential primary election on February 28, 2012. The law calls for separate ballots to be printed for Republican candidates and for Democratic candidates, just as was done in January 2008.
Below are examples of ballot options for Ferndale Residents who also live in the Ferndale School District. Those in the Hazel Park District will face only the primaries.
The School Bond proposal is for $22,825,000, and it would extend residents’ floating of an existing bond. Last summer a Bond Committee looked at the projects Ferndale Schools hopes to accomplish with the bond money, including asbestos removal, heating vent issues, pool repairs, carpeting, and technology upgrades and the infrastructure to support them. Over 20 residents have formed Citizens for Quality Schools to help promote the bond.
The Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a forum on the bond issue. The forum will take place February 15, 2012 from 8:30am – 9:30am at the Ferndale Public Library, 222 E Nine Mile. Superintendent of Ferndale Public Schools, Gary Meier, will provide an overview of why the District is seeking the bond and what it will mean for the future of the Ferndale Public Schools and how that effects our community. This event will be geared toward educating the business community, but residents are also welcome to attend and ask questions, whether in support of or in opposition to the proposal. The forum is free to attend, but please RSVP in advance by emailing events@ferndalechamber.com and referencing Forum. Or call 248-542.2160.
Citizens for a Fair Ferndale (CFF) will hold its fourth voter forum that focuses exclusively on a ballot question on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 2pm at the Ferndale Public Library (222 E. Nine Mile). A representative of Citizens for Quality Schools as well as a representative of an opposing viewpoint have been invited to participate. Members of the press are invited to attend.
Choosing Your Ballot
Voters must choose, in writing, which type of ballot they wish to vote. This will be done on the Application to Vote:
If you are physically voting in your precinct on election day:
If you are applying to vote by Absentee Ballot:
Please note:
- You do not need to be a member of a political party to vote in this election.
- By making this selection you are not joining a party. You are only declaring which primary you would like to vote in for this election.
- If you do not make a selection you will not be given a ballot.
- You cannot request both ballots
- The amendment to the Election Law requires the information on which ballot a voter chooses be made available to the public for 22 months following the election, after which time it will be destroyed.
Ferndale Schools Bond Proposal
Voters in Precincts 1 – 7 will also be voting on the proposed bond issue for Ferndale Schools. The proposal will be on both the Republican and the Democratic ballots. Voters will also have a 3rd choice – to vote a ballot that only contains the school bond proposal.
Sample Ballots
Republican Party
Democratic Party
Ballot Without Presidential Primary
To read more about the Bond, check out:
And Previous Ferndale 115 News coverage:
http://ferndale115.com/nuevo/2011/07/14/bond-committee-gets-tour-of-fhs-troubles/
http://ferndale115.com/nuevo/2011/11/22/school-board-sends-bond-application-to-treasury/
Editor’s note, an earlier version of this article did not include the first paragraph because it had been accidentally deleted.
