Oakland County Clerk Bill Bullard Releases PSA and FAQ Web Page to Help Voters with Complicated Presidential Primary

Today, Oakland County Clerk Bill Bullard Jr. unveiled a Public Service Announcement designed to help answer voters questions about the upcoming February 28 Presidential Preference Primary.

“Our local clerks are being besieged by questions and complaints,” Bullard explained. “People are sending back their absentee ballot forms filled out incorrectly, and others seem to think their local clerk is personally invading their privacy by asking them which party’s ballot they want to vote. This PSA is designed to help people vote, and to answer those concerns.”

The main points Bullard stresses in the PSA are:

1. It is the Legislature that set up the rules for voting
2. In order to vote for President one must ask for a Republican or Democratic ballot
3. For people in communities with other issues on the ballot, they can request a separate ballot with just those issues.

“The other main point of confusion is where there is another question on the ballot besides President,” Bullard pointed out. “In Pontiac and Auburn Hills, for example, there is a special election for State Representative, and a question to authorize rewriting their city charter. Both issues will be on both the Democratic and Republican ballots, but people can request a ballot with just State Representative and the charter question if they only want to vote for those.”

The webpage, www.oakgov/clerkrod/askbill goes into far more detail about how and why the Presidential Primary process came about, and other less common questions voters might have.

“People always ask me if they have to declare what party they are in before they can vote for President,” Bullard said. “Technically, the answer is no. But you do have to ask for one ballot or the other. We will still not have partisan registration in this state in future primaries, either, but it will be public information for 22 months which ballot a voter requested.”

Bullard concluded, “I know this seems complicated, and in Michigan we are not used to having this kind of information be public. I just hope that no matter what they think of the process, everyone will keep in mind that it’s not the fault of the election worker who is asking which ballot people wish to vote. I also hope that no one will let this get in the way of letting their voice be heard and their vote be counted.”

A copy of the PSA is available for all media outlets and news websites. It can be FTP uploaded by request, and a WMV file is attached to this email. If an MOV file is preferred, it can be sent upon request.

Bill Bullard is available to discuss issues related to the Presidential Primary, or Clerk and election issues in general. Contact him at 248-858-5665 or David Forsmark at 248-858-9927.

About Tom and Ann Gendich

Founders of Rochester Media. Looking to provide great local news to all people in and around Rochester and Rochester Hills. Send them a note at info@rochestermedia.com.

Speak Your Mind

*