PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — Monday was the last day to register online to vote in the August primary, but there’s still time to register in person and turn in your ballot if you plan to vote absentee.
If you have received your absentee ballot and haven't mailed it back by Monday, it's recommended you drop it off at a drop box or your clerks office to make sure it arrives in time.
“We've got some heated primaries this year and I think that is going to attract a lot of people,” Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown said.
Brown is one of hundreds of clerks across the state getting ready for the primary on Aug. 2. Next week, the county will be testing their voting equipment in a process done every election, which is open to the public. The Public Accuracy test will be at the Oakland County Absent Voter Counting Board training room on July 25 at 9 a.m.
“It's to ensure the accuracy and security of our equipment,” Brown said.
Since there are partisan primary races, Michigan voters cannot split their ticket and can only vote in primaries for one party.
“You're going to see Democratic and Republican candidates in two different columns on your ballot, but you just have to stick with one,” Brown said.
Any ballot with votes in both parties will be spoiled and none of the votes will count.
Although a reminder about split ticket voting is included with every primary absentee ballot, it's still a common mistake voters make.
"We see more spoiled ballots in an August primary, I think, than in other elections,” Brown said.
If you already filled out both parties and mailed your ballot in, you can call your clerk to spoil it and have a new one sent. You can also check the status of your ballot to see when it arrives by visiting michigan.gov/vote.
“Every election is important," Brown said. "There are things on the ballot that affect your everyday life. We have a lot of communities that have millage proposals and school districts and all sorts of things besides partisan races.”
The last day to request an absentee ballot is July 29 and they must be turned into your local clerks office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Polls will be open on Election Day from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Related: WXYZ-TV, Michigan Scripps' stations to host Republican Gubernatorial primary debate
