Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown is adding express lanes at early voting sites so residents who already filled out their absentee ballots can skip the regular line, feed their ballot through the tabulator, and leave in minutes.
The new lanes open Saturday, July 25, when nine days of early voting begin across Oakland County ahead of the Tuesday, August 4 primary.
For Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, and Bloomfield Hills voters, the designated early voting site is the Bloomfield Township Public Library, 1099 Lone Pine Road, Bloomfield Hills. Hours run 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily from Saturday, July 25, through Sunday, August 2, except Thursday, July 30, when the site is open noon to 8 p.m.
"Express lanes for voters who bring their absentee ballot to their early voting site is just one additional improvement we've made this year," Brown told The Oakland Press on Monday, July 21.
Brown said the express lanes are meant to cut wait times, but she highlighted another benefit: feeding a ballot through the tabulator on-site lets voters catch errors before their vote is final. That matters in August primaries, she said, because more ballots are spoiled when voters accidentally cross party lines on a partisan primary ballot.
Once a ballot goes through the tabulator, the vote cannot be changed.
Other ways to return your ballot
Voters who prefer not to visit an early voting site can hand-deliver their signed, sealed absentee ballot envelope to their local clerk's office or use a secure drop box. Birmingham has two 24/7 drop boxes: one at City Hall, 151 Martin St. (drive-up), and one at Fire Station #1, 572 S. Adams Road.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is 5 p.m. Friday, July 31. Birmingham voters can pick one up in person at the City Clerk's Office until 4 p.m. Monday, August 3. All absentee ballots must reach the clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day to count.
What's on the ballot
Bloomfield Township voters will decide on two local millage renewals: road maintenance and public safety. All Oakland County voters, including those in Birmingham and Bloomfield, will see a Regional Enhancement Millage for the Oakland Schools Intermediate School District. The ballot also includes statewide partisan primaries for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, state Senate, and state House, plus nonpartisan judicial races.
Key dates
- Saturday, July 25 – Sunday, August 2: Early voting at Bloomfield Township Public Library (8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Thursday, July 30: noon–8 p.m.)
- Friday, July 31, 5 p.m.: Deadline to request absentee ballot by mail
- Monday, August 3, 4 p.m.: Last day to obtain absentee ballot in person at Birmingham City Clerk's Office
- Tuesday, August 4, 7 a.m.–8 p.m.: Election Day polls open
