Election Day Is Tomorrow in Grand Rapids: What Kent County Voters Need to Know

Election Day is tomorrow — Tuesday, Nov. 3 — and Grand Rapids voters will help choose a new governor, a new U.S. senator, members of Congress and the state Legislature, and statewide ballot proposals in Michigan's midterm general election. Polling places across the city are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and anyone already standing in line at 8 p.m. is still allowed to vote. Kent County is one of the counties both statewide campaigns watch precinct by precinct on election night.

Bring a photo ID if you have one — Michigan law asks voters who possess one to show it — but a photo ID is not required to vote. A voter who does not have a photo ID can sign an affidavit at the polling place and receive a regular ballot that is counted with all the others. Checking your registration status, polling place and a sample ballot ahead of time at Michigan.gov/Vote is the fastest way to avoid a surprise on Tuesday.

It is not too late to register. Michigan allows same-day registration, but on Election Day it happens only in person at your local clerk's office — for Grand Rapids residents, the City Clerk at City Hall on Monroe Avenue — not at your polling place. Registrants must bring proof of residency, such as a Michigan driver's license or state ID, or a current utility bill, bank statement or government document showing their name and address. After registering, a voter can vote an absentee ballot at the clerk's office or go on to their assigned polling place. Voters in Kent County's townships and suburbs register with their own city or township clerk the same way.

Holding an absentee ballot you have not returned yet? Do not mail it now. To count, an absentee ballot must reach your clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day, so hand-deliver it to the clerk's office or an official drop box, or bring it to your polling place on Tuesday. The state reported that more than 2.3 million Michigan voters had already cast ballots before Election Day, between returned absentee ballots and early in-person voting, which ended Sunday.

If anything looks wrong on Tuesday — your name is not on the list, or you are told you cannot vote — ask a precinct worker to walk you through your options before you leave, because Michigan law gives voters more than one way to be counted. Grand Rapids Furniture City News will publish Kent County and statewide results as they are reported on election night.