Dearborn Clerk Expands Office Hours, Adds Ballot Drop Off Locations For Nov. 3 Election

Press release from the City of Dearborn:

Extended office hours for election business and special ballot drop-off locations are among steps announced by City Clerk George Darany to help Dearborn residents vote in the Nov. 3 presidential election.The Clerk’s Office at the Dearborn Administrative Center (DAC), 16901 Michigan Ave., will offer extended hours and weekend hours for election business only at the following times:• Tuesdays and Thursdays, Oct. 13-Nov. 3, from 5-7 p.m.• The DAC is normally closed on Fridays, but the Clerk’s Office will be open on Fridays, Oct. 16-Oct. 30, from 8 a.m.-noon and 1-4:30 p.m.• Saturdays, Oct. 17 and 24 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. • Saturday, Oct. 31 from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. • Monday, Nov. 2, the day before the election, from 5-7 p.m.

Absentee voting instructionsThose voting by absentee ballot will have postage provided on their return envelopes, and Darany reminds voters to be sure to sign the outside of that envelope, as indicated in the instructions.Absentee voters will receive a mailing to remind them to return their ballot in a timely manner, and another to detail how they can surrender their absentee ballot if they decide they would rather vote in person Nov. 3.Ballot drop-off stations at DAC, Hubbard Manor West and EastAbsentee voters can also return their ballots in a drop box in the parking lot of the Dearborn Administrative Center, where a new, ballots-only box has been installed. The regular dropbox still can be used as usual.Darany has also arranged ballot drop-off stations where all voters can submit their absentee ballots from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, starting Oct. 7 and lasting until Oct. 30. The drop-off stations will be at Hubbard Manor West, 22077 Beech Street, and at Hubbard Manor East, 5500 Calhoun at Ford Road.Election workers earn $320; apply nowElection poll workers’ pay has been increased to at least $300, plus $20 for training. Anyone interested in becoming a poll worker can download an application at https://www.michigan.gov/documents/Elec_Inspec-Appl_131809_7.pdf

COVID-19 safety protocolsResidents who want to vote at their local polling place on Election Day can do so with safety protocols in place to help protect them from coronavirus infection, Darany said. Covid protections at the polls will include floor decals placed 6-feet apart, masks for all voters who want one, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer and signage reminding of Covid safety. Extra voting booths will be added to reduce waiting times, and new laptop computers and scanners will speed up the voting process.Other initiatives to make election efficientSample ballots in English, Arabic and Spanish are expected to be available prior to the election for viewing on the city’s website, cityofdearborn.org. Sample ballots will also be on bulletin boards at all precincts.

In addition, with many more absentee voters than usual, high-speed tabulators have been purchased to count absentee ballots 4-5 times faster than with previous equipment.Eleven Election Supervisors will be assigned to various groups of precincts to oversee operations throughout the day. They will be responsible for questions and concerns raised by precinct challengers and poll watchers.Clerk Darany said the expanded hours, remote drop-off locations, additional employees and high-speed scanners are made possible in part by a grant from the Center for Tech and Civic Life.“These changes are designed to speed up the voting process at the precincts, make it easier for voters to return absentee ballots, and help process election results after the polls close,” Darany said. Darany emphasized that he wants Dearborn to be known as a leader in the state as the most accurate, updated and high-tech at running elections. “The goal of the Clerk’s Office is to do everything we can to make it easy for the voter to receive a ballot, return a ballot and have their ballot counted as accurately, efficiently and quickly as possible,” Darany said. “I am proud to have a staff that are all in sync to make that happen.”

Residents needing to contact the Clerk’s Office can call 943-2010.

This press release was produced by the City of Dearborn. The views expressed here are the author’s own.