Ferndale Seeking Citizens to Help Improve Voting, Democracy with Election Task Force
(City of Ferndale Press Release, July 8, 2015)
 
The Ferndale City Clerk is recruiting community members, poll workers, and elected officials to create an election task force to help guide the selection of new polling locations, brainstorm methods of improving voter turnout, and increase our pool of precinct inspectors.
In order to better accommodate our voters we intend to expand our precincts from 7 to 9. Precinct size is based on population, as determined by 2010 census data, and locations need to be convenient for voters, have large parking areas, and be ADA compliant. Michigan Election Law requires locations to be publicly owned; however, when that is not feasible they may be housed in buildings operated by nonprofit entities, such as churches.
Democracy requires participation, which is a real challenge for most communities. The task force will also be asked to help with ideas to increase the number of people who are willing to work at the polls as well as the number of residents who turn out to vote. Local elections have so much impact on voters’ daily lives, but relatively few show up to vote. We’re asking for help to bring more residents out to the polls.
The redrawing of precinct boundaries must be completed by the end of the year, but we would like to implement the voter participation and precinct inspector recruitment plan for the November 3 General Election. In order to recruit more inspectors and launch a voter turnout improvement campaign, we need to be ready to appoint inspectors by September 24.
If you or someone you know may be interested in taking part, and can commit to meet through at least October, please contact City Clerk Marne McGrath by phone at 248-546-2381 or email mmcgrath@ferndalemi.gov.
Check out the informational flyer below, or download and print it here.