Absentee voting hours extended in GR

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Grand Rapids residents who choose to use an absentee ballot will be able to deliver their ballot at the city clerk's office during expanded hours.

City Clerk Lauri Parks announced Tuesday her office will be open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. through November 2, and will be open until 8 p.m. Tuesday. Additionally, the clerk's office will be open on each of the next two Saturdays from 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., and be open from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. on November 5, the day before the election.

You can vote absentee if:

• you're 60 or older
• physically unable to attend the polls without the assistance of another person
• appointed as a precinct worker in a polling place other than your own
• expect to be absent from your community on election day
• cannot attend the polls because of religious commitments
• if you will be in jail on Election Day.

So far, nearly 12,000 absentee ballots have been issued, with about 5, 100 returned. Parks said 13,500 absentee voters cast their ballots early in 2008.

Voter registration is up this year, she said, and she is anticipating a high voter turn out in November.

She reminded voters to have patience on Election Day and urged voters to do their homework before they go to the polls -- especially on the ballot proposals.

On the Net:

Grand Rapids City Clerk

Absentee Ballot Application (pdf)

Grand Rapids city proposals (pdf)