News
Releases
New Election Reminder Service
Launched Today
Voters Can Sign Up for Email Notifications of Upcoming
Elections
Oakland County, Mich., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009 – A new
online service that will remind voters about upcoming
elections debuts today at the Oakland County Clerk &
Register of Deeds Office, announced Ruth Johnson,
Clerk/Register.
"We all lead busy lives but some things are too important
to be missed, including your right to celebrate your freedom
by voting," said Johnson. "This is sort of an electronic
Post-it note – but instead of putting it on your
refrigerator, we’ll send an email to your home or office
reminding you about upcoming elections."
Oakland County voters who want to sign up for the free
online service – believed to be one of the first such
services offered in the country – may visit the Clerk’s
homepage at
www.oakgov.com/clerkrod and click on the
Election Reminder service logo. Voters will be asked to
submit their email address. Once users sign up for the
service, the Clerk’s office will automatically email a
reminder to them two weeks prior to all local, school, state
and federal elections so voters can scan the list to see if
they have an upcoming election in their area. A second
reminder will be sent 24 hours before the election. The
reminder will include a link to the Clerk’s Elections
website, which provides a lot of valuable election-related
information, including:
- A list of candidates and ballot proposals for that
election.
- Campaign finance reports listing donations to
candidates and political committees.
- A list of local polling locations.
- The link to get results on Election Night with our
easy-to-use election reporting system
- A link to the state’s Voter Information Center which
can help voters determine if they are registered to
vote, help them find their polling location and view a
sample ballot.
- Information on voter registration
- Information on how to become a poll worker.
- Instructional videos for new voters or voters who
may need a little refresher course.
"Sometimes small elections and special elections are not
very well publicized and this will be one more way to get
the word out," said Johnson, an outspoken opponent against
"stealth" elections where elections are minimally advertised
and seemingly held at off-times to apparently discourage
widespread voter participation.
Johnson said the Election Reminder is aimed at improving
voter turnout, but ultimately, it is the responsibility of
every voter who chooses to do so to cast their ballot on
Election Day. Turnout in recent elections includes:
- 11 percent in the Sept. 15 election for several
cities and villages
- 7.27 percent in the Aug. 4 city primary/proposal
election
- 8.89 percent in the May 5 election
- 23.4 percent in the Feb. 24, 2009 special election
regarding an Oxford Community Schools bond proposal
- 72.40 percent in the Nov,. 4, 2008 election
"We hope this service helps ensure that everyone has
their voice heard and their vote count on Election Day,"
Johnson said.
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