Royal Oak Moves Some Polling Locations Due to Heat: Aug. 2 Primary

ROYAL OAK, MI — With temperatures expected in the 90-degree range Tuesday, Royal Oak city officials have moved some precincts to air conditioned locations.

Besides voting in congressional and legislative primary races, voters in Royal Oak will decide two local ballot measures: renewal of the city’s 1-mill recycling levy, in place since 1991, and a second that amends the city charter to make sure it complies with current laws.

Here are the precinct changes:

Royal Oak High School Voters

Precinct 17 will be moved to Room 136, which is located off of Lexington Blvd. Voters enter through the door marked 37. Once you go through the door, precinct will be the second door on your right (just past Precinct 20).

Precinct 20 will be moved to Room 138, which is located off of Lexington Blvd. Voters enter through the door marked 37. Once you go through the door, precinct will be the first door on your right.

Voters may park in the Lindell Ice Arena parking lot, if Lexington Avenue is full.

Churchill Voters

Precinct 12 will be located in Room 121. Park in the front of Churchill and once you go through the doors, make a left. The precinct will be located on your right.

Precinct 18 will be located in Room 102. Park in the front of Churchill and once you go through the doors, make a right. The precinct will be located on your right.

Recycling Levy

The solid waste and recycling millage helps pay for:

• Trash pickup and disposal
• Curbside recycling
• Leaf collection
• Bulk item pickup
• Yard waste and twig/branch pickup
• Household hazardous waste drop-off
• Street sweeping
• Drop-off site for used motor oil and electronics

In addition to these services, the 1-mill renewal will help fund the switch to single stream recycling next year, which will eliminate the need to pre-sort recyclables and provides recycling carts to most homeowners.

Proposal B

Voters will be asked to consider amending the portion of the City of Royal Oak Charter dealing with requirements to run for mayor or city commissioner.

The charter is Royal Oak’s principal governing document. As such, the Royal Oak Charter Review Committee studies and analyzes the charter and develops proposals to update and modernize it to ensure that it complies with current state and federal law.

Proposal B removes unconstitutional language that requires mayoral and city commissioner candidates be property owners, reside in the city for at least two years and be at least 25 years old.

Requiring people to own property in order to run for elected office has been ruled unconstitutional. Residency requirements of two or more years have also been struck down by courts; however, a one-year residency requirement has been upheld.

Therefore, changing the residency requirement to one year would conform with the law.

Under Michigan law, candidates for local office need only be of voting age.

Proposal B, if adopted, would remove obsolete language, simplify requirements to run for office, and bring the charter in compliance with state and federal law and practices.

County Races

In the District 20 county commissioner race, Republicans David J Harrell, of Troy, and J. Karl Jackson, of Madison Heights, are vying for the right to challenge Democratic incumbent, Gary R. McGillivray, of Madison Heights, in November. Voters in Madison Heights, Pleasant Ridge, Troy and Royal Oak decide this contest.

Also, Democrats Vicki Barnett, of Farmington Hills, and Mark Danowski, of Davisburg, are vying for the right to challenge incumbent County Executive L. Brooks Patterson in November.

Both Republicans and Democrats have races in the primary for county clerk/registrar of deeds. Republicans are Tina Barton, of Royal Oak, and Bill Bullard Jr., of Highland Township. On the Democratic side, candidates are incumbent Lisa Brown, of West Bloomfield, and Michael D. Smith, of Union Lake.

Election Information

Polls are open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

The Voter Information Center at www.michigan.gov/vote has answers to frequently asked elections questions, including finding your polling location and viewing a sample ballot.

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