A special election is an election held outside of the regularly scheduled election cycle, often due to a vacancy in an elected office or the need for a specific issue to be voted on

LOCAL LEADERSHIP: Though national offices such as for President and for Congress have more prominence, local electeds can have enormous impact on our communities. City officials and school board members make decisions that govern us at the hyperlocal level, impacting our everyday living experiences. EDUCATION: School board members determine our children’s education, with oversight of curriculum, textbooks, school libraries and more. It is crucial that families remain engaged with their school boards to ensure students have an inclusive and healthy education.

The municipal elections will decide who will be governing and determining the local policy decisions that impact the lives of our families and loved ones. Here's what is on the ballot: OFFICES UP FOR ELECTION STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 13 (WARREN & DETROIT) STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 25 (WESTLAND & WAYNE) Want to prepare? You can see a sample ballot for any precinct in Michigan for the upcoming election. Go to the Michigan Voter Information Center to obtain your information.

To be eligible to vote, you must be: A Michigan resident (at the time you register) and a resident of your city or township for at least 30 days (when you vote) A United States citizen At least 18 years of age (when you vote) Not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison You can register when you are 17.5 years old, but you can’t vote until you’re 18. PROOF OF RESIDENCY: If you register within 14 days of Election Day, you must show proof of where you live. You can show a digital copy of documents. Acceptable documents include: Michigan driver’s license or state ID Current utility bill Bank statement Paycheck or government check Other government document

BY ABSENTEE BALLOT: This is the easiest way to vote! You can apply for an absentee ballot and vote in person at your local clerk's office right away, or you can return it by mail or at a dropbox at your clerk’s office by 8PM on Election Day. If you are returning your ballot within two weeks of election day, we recommend hand-delivering your ballot to avoid possible postal delays. IN PERSON: Polls open on Election Day, November 7th from 7am to 8pm. You can obtain your absentee ballot, find your dropbox and look up your polling place at https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/

By law, the Michigan Secretary of State must provide in-language voting resources for citizens to use. These resources include sample ballots, translated website information, and more. Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act requires equal access to voting for people with limited English, as determined by the census. In the city of Hamtramck, for example, ballots in Bangla must be available to the significant Bangladeshi community in that area. Languages served include Arabic, Mandarin, Bengali, Korean, Vietnamese, Russian, French, Amharic, Somali and Russian. You can find language resources at: https://www.michigan.gov/sos/language-services Michigan law also allows for non-English speaking voters to bring a friend along to the polling booth who can help translate the ballot, excepting their employer or union representative.

At the polls, you will be asked to show current photo ID to vote in Michigan. Acceptable forms include: Michigan driver's license or state ID card current (non-expired) driver's license or personal ID card issued by another state federal or state government-issued photo ID US passport military ID card with a photo student ID with a photo from a high school or an accredited institution of higher education tribal ID card with a photo No photo ID? You can still vote! If you are unable to provide ID, you can vote like any other voter by signing an affidavit.

JANUARY 20TH-28TH Vote early with in-person absentee voting. JANUARY 29TH Last day to request absentee ballot in-person by 4pm. JANUARY 30TH ELECTION DAY! Last day to register to vote at your local clerk's office and cast your ballot.

On Election Day, poll monitors will be in place to ensure that voters have access to their ballots without intimidation or obstruction. If you encounter difficulties in voting (harassment, lack of language access materials, lack of disability access, inappropriate electioneering, etc.) those problems should be reported, challenged and documented. ELECTION PROTECTION is a national nonpartisan coalition that provides legal assistance at all stages of voting, from registration to casting a ballot at the polls. Problems with voting access and/or intimidation at the polls should be reported to their national hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE. Non English-speaking Asian American voters can call the 888-API-VOTE to report issues as well. BECOME A POLL MONITOR! Rising Voices also provides volunteers to act as poll monitors on Election Day at precincts across Michigan. Volunteers are trained and sent to assigned polls to act as officially designated nonpartisan monitors. This is a great way to help ensure your community members are able to exercise their right to vote without difficulty. To join us, go to www.risingvoicesaaf.org/volunteer