Michigan's general election is Tuesday, November 3. Absentee ballots have been going out since September 24, the deadline to register online or by mail is Monday, October 19, and every community on the lakeshore opens an early voting site from Saturday, October 24 through Sunday, November 1. Here is how and where to vote in Ottawa County and the Allegan County lakeshore, and what is on the ballot, from the Secretary of State, the two county clerks' notices and candidate and proposal lists.
The dates
- Now: Absentee ballots are available. Request one at Michigan.gov/Vote or from your city or township clerk, and vote it at home or at the clerk's office.
- Monday, October 19: Last day to register online or by mail. After this date you register in person at your city or township clerk's office with proof of where you live, right up to 8 p.m. on Election Day, and you can vote at the clerk's office the same visit.
- Saturday, October 24 to Sunday, November 1: Early voting, nine days, at the site assigned to your city or township (tables below). Most sites run 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Friday, October 30, 5 p.m.: Absentee ballot applications submitted online or by mail must reach your clerk by 5 p.m. The state advises allowing two weeks for the mail, so a completed ballot should go in the mail no later than October 20; after that, use your own city or township's drop box or hand it to your clerk.
- Monday, November 2, 4 p.m.: Last day for voters already registered at their current address to get and vote an absentee ballot in person at the clerk's office. Residents who register or update their address at the clerk's office can still get and vote a ballot there through 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- Tuesday, November 3: Election Day. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Absentee ballots must reach your clerk by 8 p.m.; a postmark does not count, except for military and overseas voters, whose ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within six days after it.
Register, check, find your polling place
Michigan.gov/Vote does all of it: check whether you are registered, register or update your address, request an absentee ballot, track your ballot, look up your early voting site and Election Day polling place, and see a sample ballot for your address. You need a Michigan driver's license or state ID to register online; without one, use the paper form at your clerk's office. To register in person after October 19, bring something that shows your current address: a license or state ID, a utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government document. A photo ID is not required to vote; if you do not have one with you, you sign an affidavit and your ballot counts.
To vote you must be a U.S. citizen, 18 or older on Election Day, and a resident of your city or township for at least 30 days. People serving a sentence in jail or prison can't vote while serving it; a criminal record or being held awaiting trial doesn't take away the right to vote. If you need help with your ballot, anyone you choose can help except your employer, an agent of your employer, or an officer or agent of your union, and poll workers can help too.
Early voting sites, October 24 to November 1
Ottawa County runs 16 sites and assigns every voter to one. You vote early only at the site for your city or township (county early voting page). Holland residents, including the part of the city in Allegan County, vote early only at City Hall (City of Holland). In the Allegan County lakeshore, each city and township runs its own site or shares one (Allegan County notice).
Ottawa County
| If you live in | Where | Serves | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holland | Holland City Hall, 270 S. River Ave. | City of Holland, including the Allegan County part of the city | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Holland Township, Park Township | Holland Charter Township Community Center, 12343 James St. | Holland Township, Park Township | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Monday, October 26, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Zeeland | Howard Miller Library and Community Center, 14 S. Church St. | City of Zeeland | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Zeeland Township | Zeeland Township Hall, 6582 Byron Rd. | Zeeland Township | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg | Spring Lake Community Center, 15549 Cleveland St. | Grand Haven, Ferrysburg, Grand Haven Township, Spring Lake Township, Robinson Township | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Hudsonville, Allendale | Allendale Township Hall, 6676 Lake Michigan Dr. | City of Hudsonville, Allendale Township, Blendon Township | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Jenison | Georgetown Charter Township Hall, 1515 Baldwin St. | Georgetown Township | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Jamestown | Jamestown Township Hall, 2380 Riley St., Hudsonville | Jamestown Township | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
| Coopersville | Coopersville City Hall, 289 Danforth St. | City of Coopersville | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Polkton Township | Polkton Township Hall, 6900 Arthur St., Coopersville | Polkton Township | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Olive Township | Olive Township Hall, 6480 136th Ave., Holland | Olive Township | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Port Sheldon Township | Port Sheldon Township Hall, 16201 Port Sheldon St., West Olive | Port Sheldon Township | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday, October 28, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Crockery Township | Crockery Township Hall, 17431 112th St., Nunica | Crockery Township | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Wright Township | Wright Township Office, 2024 Cleveland St. E., Coopersville | Wright Township | 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
The county's other sites are Chester Township Hall (Conklin) and Tallmadge Township Hall (Leonard Street). Questions: Ottawa County Elections, (616) 994-4535, elections@miottawa.org.
Allegan County lakeshore
| If you live in | Where | Serves | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas, Saugatuck, Saugatuck Township | Douglas City Hall, 415 W. Wiley Rd., Suite 103 | City of Douglas, City of Saugatuck, Saugatuck Township | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Fennville and nearby townships | Fennville City Hall, 125 S. Maple St. | City of Fennville, Clyde, Ganges, Lee and Manlius townships | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Laketown Township | Laketown Township Hall, 4338 Beeline Rd. | Laketown Township | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
| Fillmore Township | Fillmore Township Hall, 4219 52nd St. | Fillmore Township | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Overisel and Salem townships | Salem Township Hall, 3003 142nd Ave. | Overisel Township, Salem Township | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Heath Township | Heath Township Hall, 3440 M-40 | Heath Township | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
Election Day, November 3
Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Look up your precinct at Michigan.gov/Vote; Holland has six ward polling places. On the Allegan side the county's notice lists Saugatuck city voters at the Saugatuck Woman's Club, 303 Butler St.; Douglas at City Hall, 415 W. Wiley Rd.; Fennville at City Hall, 125 S. Maple St.; Laketown Township precincts 1 and 3 at the township hall, 4338 Beeline Rd., and precinct 2 at the fire station, 4534 60th St.; Saugatuck Township at the hall, 3461 Blue Star Hwy.; Ganges Township at 1904 64th St.; Manlius Township at 3134 57th St.; and Fillmore Township at 4219 52nd St. (notice of election).
What is on the ballot
Every voter in Michigan decides the governor's race, an open U.S. Senate seat, attorney general, secretary of state, two Supreme Court seats, the state education boards and two statewide proposals. Candidate lists below come from the Ottawa County clerk's candidate listing and Saugatuck Township's sample ballots; Bridge Michigan has a statewide rundown.
Statewide
- Governor and lieutenant governor: Jocelyn Benson and Winnie Brinks (Democratic); John James and Jay DeBoyer (Republican); Anthony Hudson and Beau Parmenter (Libertarian); Donna Brandenburg and Robert Donald Cowper II (U.S. Taxpayers); Douglas Campbell and Bobbie Clay (Green).
- U.S. Senate, open seat: Abdul El-Sayed (D); Mike Rogers (R); Lydia Christensen (Libertarian); Tim Long (U.S. Taxpayers); Douglas P. Marsh (Green); Walter P. Kristy (Natural Law).
- Attorney general: Eli Savit (D); Doug Lloyd (R); Jason Dye (Libertarian); John Perry Ludtke Jr. (U.S. Taxpayers); Jeff Polonowski (Green); Doug Dern (Natural Law).
- Secretary of state: Garlin Gilchrist II (D); Anthony G. Forlini (R); Christine Sloan (Libertarian); Scott E. Aughney (U.S. Taxpayers); Eric Borregard (Green).
- Michigan Supreme Court, two seats, nonpartisan: Megan Kathleen Cavanagh (incumbent), Noah P. Hood (incumbent), Casandra Morse-Bills, Michael Warren, Jody White, Thomas W. Howe.
- Two seats each on the State Board of Education and the governing boards of the University of Michigan, Michigan State and Wayne State.
Proposal 26-1: a constitutional convention
The ballot asks: "Shall a convention of elected delegates be convened in 2027 to draft a general revision of the state constitution for presentation to the state's voters for their approval or rejection?" Michigan's constitution puts this question to voters every 16 years; it was last asked in 2010 and voters said no. A yes vote starts a convention whose rewrite would come back to voters for approval (WDIV explainer).
Proposal 26-2: campaign contributions and disclosure
An initiated law that would bar regulated electric and gas utilities, contractors with more than $250,000 a year in government contracts, and people and organizations closely tied to them from making direct or indirect campaign contributions to candidates and officials whose decisions affect them. It also extends disclosure rules to political communications that name a candidate or ballot question without saying "vote for" or "vote against," and to online political ads (WDIV explainer). A third statewide question, a proof-of-citizenship amendment for voter registration, did not make the ballot (Michigan Public).
Congress and the Legislature
- U.S. House, 4th District (Holland, Zeeland, Grand Haven, the Allegan lakeshore): Sean McCann (D); Bill Huizenga (R, incumbent); Shafina Che Barnett (Green). The 3rd District covers eastern Ottawa County: Hillary Scholten (D, incumbent); Terri DeBoer (R); Joe Jock (Green). A northern slice of the county is in the 2nd District: Ben Ambrose (D); John Moolenaar (R, incumbent).
- State Senate, 31st District, open (Holland, Zeeland, Grand Haven, Hudsonville and most lakeshore townships): Chris Kleinjans (D); John Wetzel (R). 30th District (Allendale, Coopersville, Polkton, Tallmadge, Wright): Carol Glanville (D); Mark Huizenga (R, incumbent). 20th District (Saugatuck, Douglas, Fennville, Saugatuck Township): Dale Murney (D); Chris Moraitis (R); Shamara Clay (Green).
- State House, 86th District (Holland, most of Holland Township, Park and Laketown townships): Joseph McClusky (D); Nancy DeBoer (R, incumbent). 85th (Zeeland, Hudsonville, Georgetown and Zeeland townships): Richard Abraham (D); Bradley Slagh (R, incumbent). 88th (Grand Haven, Ferrysburg, Spring Lake and the northern townships): Kiel Reid (D); Greg VanWoerkom (R, incumbent). 89th, open (Allendale, Coopersville, Blendon, Polkton, Wright): Meegan Zickus (D); Joe Moss (R). 43rd (Fillmore Township, part of Jamestown and most of Allegan County): Alan Swank (D); Rachelle Smit (R, incumbent). 38th (Saugatuck, Douglas, Fennville): Joey Andrews (D); Mark Krieger (R); Jett Newton (Green).
Courts and county
No county offices are up this year in either county; commissioners and the countywide officers were elected to four-year terms in 2024. Two Court of Appeals incumbents, Mark T. Boonstra and Daniel S. Korobkin, are on every lakeshore ballot. Ottawa County voters see Jon Hulsing unopposed for the 20th Circuit Court and three candidates for two 58th District Court seats: Juanita F. Bocanegra (incumbent), Anna White (incumbent) and Paul Ledford. Allegan County voters see Matt Antkoviak for the 48th Circuit Court and two contested 57th District Court seats: Tom Siver against Christopher E. Burnett for a partial term, and Heidi L. Wolf against Timothy Slais for a full term.
Local proposals
Ottawa County (official proposal list):
- Ottawa County parks: an increase of up to 0.20 mill for 10 years, on top of the 0.33 mill renewal voters approved in August; about $3.76 million in the first year (county parks page).
- Grand Haven Area Public Schools: a bond of up to $98,550,000 for buildings, buses, technology and fields; an estimated 1.95 mills in 2027 (district bond page).
- Allendale Public Schools: two bonds, $66,700,000 for safety, facilities and equipment, and $27,045,000 for a multi-purpose building; the ballot language estimates no net increase in the 2027 millage over the prior year.
- Hudsonville Public Schools: renewal of the 18-mill non-homestead operating levy (authorized at 19.6911 mills) and the 0.9709-mill sinking fund, both for 2028 to 2032. These also appear on Allegan County ballots in the district.
- Park Township: asks voters to renew the parks and recreation millage, now 0.572 mill after rollbacks of the 0.6 mill voters approved, and raise it to 0.7 mill for 2027 through 2030; about $1,007,000 in the first year.
- Jamestown Township: a renewal and restoration of the road millage to 1.5 mills and a new 0.30-mill fire department millage, both through 2030.
- Ferrysburg: asks voters to renew and restore the street millage to 1.5 mills for five years, plus two charter amendments on nominating petitions.
Allegan County lakeshore (county proposal list):
- Saugatuck Public Schools: a bond of up to $49,500,000 for a community recreation center on Wiley Road in Douglas, an early childhood center at Douglas Elementary, auditorium and safety upgrades, technology and buses; the ballot language estimates 1.31 mills in 2027 with no net increase over the prior year (Commercial Record).
- Saugatuck Township: asks voters to renew and restore the road and infrastructure millage to 0.9967 mill for 2027 through 2031, about $564,270 in the first year (ballot language).
- Allegan Conservation District: renewal of 0.0943 mill for six years on all taxable property in Allegan County.
- Allegan Area Educational Service Agency: restorations of 0.1699 mill for special education and 0.0994 mill for career and technical education, on ballots in the Fennville school district.
- Fillmore Township: two renewals, a police protection millage restored to 0.497 mill (from 0.4826 after rollback) and a road repair and maintenance millage restored to 3.052 mills (from 2.9464), both for 2027 through 2031.
School board seats are on the ballot in Allendale, Coopersville, Grand Haven, Hamilton, Holland, Hudsonville, Jenison, Spring Lake, West Ottawa, Zeeland, Saugatuck (Eric Birkholz, Mary Emens Ihle and Nicole Lewis for three seats) and Fennville (Mike Griffin and Debra Morse for two). None of the lakeshore cities elects council members this year. Spring Lake Village elects a president and three trustees; Zeeland Charter Township fills partial terms for supervisor, clerk and a trustee; Crockery, Polkton and Robinson townships fill partial-term seats; and Grand Rapids Community College trustees appear on ballots in the parts of the county inside the college district. Your own sample ballot at Michigan.gov/Vote shows exactly which of these apply to your address.
