LANSING, Mich. — Not registered to vote?
You can't use that as an excuse anymore not to cast a ballot in Michigan. The State Constitution now allows same-day registration meaning you have until Tuesday night to vote.
This is the first year you can register to vote at the polls on Election Day.
Michael Hoodlebrink just moved to the area for a teaching job. He didn't have time to register to vote, so he's doing it on Tuesday, then casting his ballot.
"I just moved to Lansing so I got caught up with all the trouble that's involved with switching over documents and changing residency so I forgot to register to vote originally," Hoodlebrink explained. "This makes it a lot easier than I can do it same-day without having to go through the process of online or in the mail."
It's all thanks to Proposal 3 which passed last year. Now, there is no deadline to register to vote in Michigan. Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum hopes it will encourage more people to vote.
"This is critical," Byrum said. "People move to the community, they haven't updated their driver's license, they've been living in the community, they need to have a voice in that community. They need to register and exercise their right to vote that day."
And that's exactly what Hoodlebrink is doing.
"Its an inalienable right of American citizens, so you have to exercise that right whenever you can," he said.
Polls are open until 8 p.m. and you can register to vote until then.
To register to vote, go to your township or city clerk--you can't register at your precinct. You'll need to verify your address. There are several documents you can use including a driver's license, state ID card, a current utility bill, bank statement, or some sort of government document. The documents must have your name and current address. Digital copies are acceptable.
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