Page contents: Elections quotes for use | Tabulation process & timeline | Pro tips for media | Current Election Day-specific stats | Recent news | Productions and coverage | Inquiry process and protocols | Guidance for filming, recording, photography | Collateral - B-roll and image catalog | Elections facts | Elections timeline |
Media FAQs | Voter FAQs
Who, What, When, Where, Why, How ... It's All Here
Welcome to the Ann Arbor Elections Media Hub. This central resource provides accurate and current information, statistics and updates on voting activity and operations in Ann Arbor. The city thanks media representatives for working with us to combat false narratives and to relay credible, trustworthy information. We also encourage your
feedback about the site, which will continue to evolve, with new resources, and updates and data, on and leading up to Election Day.
On deadline? We'll help you meet it . During a busy election season, it can be challenging to connect with Ann Arbor's elections authority, the city clerk. This hub provides access to accurate information most commonly sought by media representatives during the height of an election and collateral resources unique to elections in Ann Arbor. Look through this page, and the elections website as a whole, to find the information, data, contacts and protocols you need.
The Ann Arbor City Clerk's Office is committed to upholding the integrity of all elections operations in Ann Arbor with fairness, transparency, commitment to democracy and by providing excellent, accessible service to the public.
On the record: Quotes from City of Ann Arbor elections operations
Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, 4:21 p.m.
“Voter turnout
at this point of the day
appears to align with what our experience has taught us to expect for a General Election,”
said Ann Arbor City Clerk Jacqueline Beaudry. “Wait times at polling places and for voter registration, if any, are averaging less than 10 minutes.” Beaudry also provided an update on
voted absentee ballots, noting city staff has checked in approximately 15,000
so far.
Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, 12:19 p.m.
“We’re finding as we conduct our routine visits to polling places throughout the city, voters are orderly and are still
swiftly
moving through
any
lines,”
said Ann Arbor City Clerk Jacqueline Beaudry, who also reminds voters of the
Election Day line tracker online,
at a2gov.org/elections,
where voters can see estimated wait times, if any, at all polling and voter registration locations.
“We appreciate the patience from voters
and the professionalism from our
election
workers.”
Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, 8:23 a.m.
“As reports come in from our polling places throughout Ann Arbor, we’re pleased that voting overall is occurring efficiently, just as we had trained for, prepared for and anticipated,”
said Ann Arbor City Clerk Jacqueline Beaudry. “The Michigan Secretary of State has also reported
Ann Arbor
is the municipality
leading the state for
registered
voters
who have
already cast their ballot during early voting and via absentee,
at
a
60% turnout.”
Sunday, Oct. 26, 2024
On the start of early voting at University of Michigan campus early voting sites:
"I can report that Ann Arbor had the highest early voting turnout for Day 1 in the state – 2011 voters citywide!"
said Ann Arbor City Clerk Jacqueline Beaudry. "We were very excited to see the turnout, both on campus and at our district library sites around town. UMMA (University of Michigan Museum of Art) was the third busiest of the six city sites with 396 early voters. We continue to encourage students who have not yet registered to vote to visit either UMMA or Duderstadt ahead of Election Day to get registered. We are still also issuing absentee ballots to take home or students can register and vote early in one stop."
Election tabulation process and timeline
Absentee Ballots – City staff receives and checks in each absentee ballot. Absentee ballots then go to the absent voter counting board (AVCB), and results are reported to Washtenaw County by the AVCB. For the 2024 General Election, early tabulation began on Nov. 3 at the Ann Arbor Election Headquarters and concluded for the day by 8 p.m. The work resumes Election Day morning (Nov. 5) at 10 a.m. and goes until the last ballot is checked in. Note that drop boxes are collected at 8 p.m. citywide, and those ballots must be received and checked in by city staff BEFORE going to the AVCB. Absentee ballot results for Ann Arbor are expected to begin to be reported by midnight Nov. 5/6.
Early Vote (EV) – As the routine part of the equipment close-out process, EV tabulators are turned on at 8 p.m. on Election Day, and results are transmitted (approximately) at that time.
Election Day Vote Center – Those REGISTERING to vote for the first time on Election Day can do so at Larcom City Hall and on U of M campus at UMMA and Duderstadt Center. Vote centers are co-located at those sites with the registration offices and will allow new voters to TABULATE their own ballots (no more absentee ballots). Vote centers will transmit results that are part of the PRECINCT ELECTION DAY results upon their closing, not reported separately. They become part of the in-person Election Day precinct totals. VOTE CENTER RESULTS TIMING IS DEPENDENT ON THE LAST PERSON IN LINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE.
Precinct Totals – Each precinct transmits results from their tabulator to Washtenaw County. This happens around 8 p.m. (or when the final voter in line by 8 p.m. has voted and the precinct closes the machine).
Pro tips
Please use the navigation links (left) to visit specific pages within the Ann Arbor elections website for in-depth information.
The Michigan Voter Information Center features elections resources, services for voters and information from the state.
The "Media Access Overview: Michigan" (PDF) resource from the
Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic summarizes Michigan Election Laws pertaining to polling place area, vote tabulation processes and information/records access.
Please reach out in advance, as explained below, to plan visits to voting locations and to schedule interviews or to have your questions answered, when not already covered here in the hub.
Please visit the real-time online line tracker to gauge traffic/lines at polling places on Election Day and early voting sites during the early voting period before Election Day.
Please be respectful to voters' privacy as well as elections officials' and staff's commitment to elections operations.
Election results are posted on the Washtenaw County website.
City Elections Day-specific stats
We ask for your patience as statistics are gathered. Please know data will be released as soon as possible. Election statistics will be provided via a post-Election Day news release as well as posted to the city elections website. See also city social media: Facebook, X, Instagram. For State of Michigan General Election data, including absentee and early voting numbers across the state, visit the
Michigan Voting Dashboard.
For November 2024 General Election – Final results
Total voter turnout – 70,378 ballots cast, 56.5% (83% of "active voters" when removing the "inactive voter file")
Total votes cast at an early voting site –
20,787 (30% of voter turnout)
Total absentee votes – approximately 33,896 (95% returned, nearly 50% of voter turnout)
Total absentee ballots issued – 35,323
Total absentee ballots returned to drop boxes – 17,511
Busiest drop box not at Larcom City Hall or a satellite city clerk’s office – Veterans Memorial Park: 2,158 ballots
Total absentee ballots returned on Election Day – approximately 2,700
Total in-person votes at polling places on Election Day – 15,696
Total voters at Ann Arbor's highest-turnout polling location – UMMA, 6,294
Total voters who registered at UMMA – 5,058| Registered at UMMA on election day – 1,028
Total voters who registered at Duderstadt Center – 1,315 | Registered at Duderstadt Center on Election Day – 330
Total voters who registered at Larcom City Hall, in the last 14 days leading up to the election – 836 | Registered at Larcom City Hall on Election Day – 325
Total ballots cast by new voters who registered on Election Day – 1,683
Recent news
Nov. 5, 2024 (9:45 p.m.) -
End-of-day General Election Status
Nov. 1, 2024 - University of Michigan experts available for 2024 elections analysis
Oct. 11, 2024, News Release - Ann Arbor Shares Resources, Information for Voters Ahead of
Nov. 5 General Election
Sept. 20, 2024, News Release - Ann Arbor to Host Michigan Attorney General and Secretary of State for
Election Protection Town Hall Sept. 26. Watch the
town hall recording on CTN.
August 2024 - On Aug. 6, 2024, the City of Ann Arbor began hosting the Election Day Vote Center to allow residents who register to vote on Election Day an opportunity to cast their Election Day vote in person. Previously, many residents who registered on Election Day at Larcom City Hall were issued absentee ballots. The Election Day Vote Center allows those registering on Election Day to vote in a similar manner to those voting at an Election Day polling place or an early vote site. The Election Day Vote Center is open at Larcom City Hall 7 a.m.–8 p.m. on Election Days, and is only available to voters registering to vote at the same time.
2024 - The new City of Ann Arbor Election Headquarters, 3021 Miller Road, Ann Arbor, became operational in advance of the 2024 Presidential Primary Election. In addition to securely storing elections equipment and records, final ballot tabulation also takes place on site. This work is conducted by teams of bipartisan election inspectors and is open to media representatives and the public.
Ann Arbor Elections productions and coverage
2024 General Election CTN productions
Also visit Ann Arbor Community Television Network (CTN) video on demand and use keyword search ("election," "vote," etc.) for elections-related productions.
Media inquiries
Days prior to and after Election Day
For media interview requests, information requests, status update requests, etc. submitted the Friday prior to Election Day through the Thursday after Election Day, please send directly to
Communications Director Lisa Wondrash at
[email protected]. To assist with a prompt and complete response, please be specific with the nature of your inquiry and include the questions for which you are seeking answers. City communications department will respond to all inquiries as quickly as possible; response times may take two hours or more during regular business hours and possibly longer outside of regular business hours.
Any day outside of the Election Day timeframe specified above
The Ann Arbor City Clerk/office staff respond to media inquiries, public records requests, data inquiries and general questions from members of the media and the general public. For media interview requests submitted between the Friday prior to Election Day and the Thursday following Election Day, please message City Clerk Jacqueline Beaudry at
[email protected] and copy Communications Director Lisa Wondrash at
[email protected]. To assist with a prompt and complete response, please be specific with the nature of your inquiry and include the questions for which you are seeking answers.
Guidance for media representatives
Key points:
Any exit polling must occur outside of the building and at least 20 feet from the entrance. Only voters
exiting the building may be approached in the no-campaigning zone for this purpose only.
Do not approach voters in the building.
Do not approach voters within the 100-foot no-campaigning zone including voters entering the building.
Filming and photography inside the polling place is allowed only when voter privacy is respected and no close-ups are taken of voters in the booths.
It is a violation of law to photograph or videotape a marked ballot.
Following is guidance for media representatives who wish to take photographs or record video at a polling place or early voting center during an election.
If you are a member of the media and wish to photograph or record video at a polling place or early voting center, please message the
Ann Arbor City Clerk along with the
Ann Arbor Communications Director in advance, and preferably prior to the Friday before Election Day. They can help arrange a visit or contact the chairperson(s) at the voting location.
Precincts designate a “buffer zone" near the entrance of a voting location. No electioneering, exit polling or loitering is permitted inside the zone. Media representatives much check in with the precinct chairperson(s) upon entry to the voting location.
Media representatives who wish to enter the voting location and who haven't already made arrangements (preferred) must check in with the chairperson(s) upon arrival at the location. The chairperson(s) may allow the media to photograph or record video inside the voting location, with consent of the voter(s) being filmed or photographed. Any visit to a voting location must be brief, respectful and nondisruptive to voters, staff and the voting process. The No. 1 priority of the chairperson(s) and staff at the voting site is to maintain voting operations.
a) Media are not allowed to set up a camera in the voting area of the polling room.
b) Ballot selfies are not permitted, but the clerk's office has special areas for voters to take "I Voted" selfies.
c) Sharing images of a voted ballot within 100 feet from the polling place (the buffer zone) is not permitted.
The use of televisions and radios is prohibited in polling locations during the hours the polls are open for voting.
Phone use is permitted for texting or internet use, as long as it is not disruptive nor violates the privacy of voters and their ballots.
See also: "Media Access Overview: Michigan" (PDF) resource from
Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic, summarizing Michigan Election Laws pertaining to access to polling place areas, vote tabulation processes and information/records.
Elections collateral
The following video, images and materials (including those featured on official City of Ann Arbor social media platforms) are approved for use when in the accurate context of Ann Arbor voting, elections or related and with proper courtesy credit.
B-roll video
B-roll is provided courtesy of Ann Arbor Community Television Network (CTN). Location information is indicated in the file name. Please courtesy credit: City of Ann Arbor Community Television Network (CTN), unless otherwise noted.
-- Larcom City Hall - external, internal; polling place line; polling place workers and voters checking in -
:18 video |
:44 video | :53 video
-- Malletts Creek Library Branch.
-- Traverwood Library Branch
-- Westgate Library Branch
Image catalog
Ann Arbor polling places
Early voting locations
City of Ann Arbor leadership
Maps and infographics
Absentee ballot
"I Voted" stickers
City Elections Facts
Election Timeline Summary
Please visit the specific page within the
elections website, also linked here via navigation (upper left), for complete information.
Voter registration:
When registering to vote 15 or more days prior to an election day, voter registration may take place online. Fourteen days or fewer prior to an election day, voter registration must take place in person. In-person voter registration may take place up to 8 p.m. on an election day. The City of Ann Arbor began hosting the Election Day Vote Center on Aug. 6, 2024, to allow residents who register to vote on Election Day an opportunity to cast their Election Day vote in person. Previously, many residents who registered on Election Day at Larcom City Hall were issued absentee ballots. The Election Day Vote Center allows those registering on Election Day to vote in a similar manner to those voting at an Election Day polling place or an early vote site. The Election Day Vote Center is open at Larcom City Hall 7 a.m.–8 p.m. on Election Days, and is only available to voters registering to vote at the same time.
Absentee ballots:
Apply for/pick up an absentee ballot online or registered voters can apply for and vote an absentee ballot in person at the city clerk's office during regular business hours beginning 40 days before each election.
Turn in voted absentee ballot by dropping off at the city clerk's office,
ballot drop box or by mail (mailing at least seven days in advance of the election). Absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. Election Day.
Early voting:
- Early voting in each statewide and federal election begins nine consecutive days prior to Election Day, beginning on the second Saturday before the election and ending on the Sunday before the election.
- Early voting sites are open for at least eight hours each of those nine days.
Ballot tabulation:
For in-person voting on Election Day, ballot tabulation begins at 8 p.m. When large numbers of voters vote absentee, completion of the counting process can take many hours, if not days, after the close of polls.
Absentee ballots are tabulated on Election Day only, beginning at 10 a.m. at the City of Ann Arbor Election Headquarters, 3021 Miller Road, Ann Arbor. This work will be conducted by teams of bipartisan election inspectors and is open to the media and public.
Elections: Media FAQs
Q: When do polls officially open and close?
A: Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Q: Where does Ann Arbor typically experience high voter traffic on Election Day?
Locations that house two precincts are more likely to have more voter traffic (examples follow). Also check the
online line tracker for real-time traffic at polling places information on Election Day.
Q: If I want to interview students who are voting, where would be the busiest polling location for me to visit?
A: Options to encounter student voters on campus include at the voter registration office at the U-M Museum of Art, 535 S. State St. There is also a polling location at the Michigan Union across the street, at 530 S. State St., or another option is the Michigan League at 911 N. University.
Q: I'm hoping to be able to report the results from the [a specific] precinct. Will the precinct chairperson post the machine printouts or allow me access to that information?
A: Results are reported out automatically via modem and they are posted on the city website,
www.a2gov.org/elections. City precincts workers return their ballots and check in at the city election headquarters after they pack up.
Q: What are the exit-polling guidelines?
A: Any exit polling must occur outside of the building and at least 20 feet from the entrance. You may not approach voters in the building. Voters entering the building may not be approached in the 100-foot no-campaigning zone.
Q: Can I film inside the polling place?
A: Filming and photography inside the polling place is allowed as long as voter privacy is respected and no close-ups are taken of voters in the booths.
Q: What is the order in which ballots are counted?
A: For in-person voting on Election Day, the printing of results begins at 8pm. Each voter inserts their own ballot in the tabulator all day.
The results from early voting are generated beginning at 8 p.m. on Election Day. The closing of the early vote tabulators takes place at Larcom City Hall, 301 E. Huron St.
Absentee ballots are tabulated at the Absentee Count Board. The AVCB will begin early tabulation of ballots on Sunday, Nov. 3, beginning at 10 a.m. at the City of Ann Arbor Election Headquarters, 3021 Miller Road, Ann Arbor. This work will be conducted by teams of bipartisan election inspectors and is open to the media and public. Early tabulation will conclude at 8 p.m on Sunday, and the AVCB will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, and work until completion.
Q: Where can I find results?
A: Final results are linked at
www.a2gov.org/elections and will be available after the polls are closed and votes are tabulated. To follow along with live result updates, visit the
Washtenaw County website.
Q: Can I take pictures or videos of the results tapes?
A: Video recording and photographs are not allowed at the Absentee Voting Count Board by the public or challengers. With permission, the media may take photos or video for the purpose of reporting news.
Q: Where am I allowed to be while at elections headquarters?
A: Media representatives are allowed in the processing room of the Counting Board.
Q: Whom can I interview?
A: Media wishing to conduct interviews with city leadership, staff or any elections workers should contact
City Clerk Jacqueline Beaudry prior to Election Day to make arrangements. Interview space will be provided.
Q: What can I record?
A: In addition to the results tapes, media can film and take photographs of the ballot opening and counting process so long as the recording and photography are not disruptive to the process. Media may record exteriors of the building, but should be cognizant of clerk’s office staff driving in and out of our parking lot. Live shots can be filmed outside or in the processing room.
Q: Can I film the ballot tabulation process?
A: Media members wishing to record the ballot tabulation process for B-roll purposes will be escorted by a designated city representative and will be directed to a designated area.
Q: Where can I find more information about media access laws in Michigan?
A: "Media Access Overview: Michigan" (PDF) resource from Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic summarizes Michigan Election Laws pertaining to access to polling place areas, vote tabulation processes and information/records.
Elections: Voter FAQs
Voter registration
Q: I'm not sure I'm registered to vote. How can I check?
A: The quickest way to check your voter registration status is online at
www.michigan.gov/vote. You can also call the Ann Arbor City Clerk's office at 734.794.6140 or email
[email protected].
Q: Can I still register to vote in this election?
A: Ann Arbor residents can register to vote in person through 8 p.m. on Election Day at the Ann Arbor City Clerk's office at Larcom City Hall or the city clerk's satellite offices at the University of Michigan Museum of Art and Pierpont Commons. Residents registering to vote within 14 days of an election will be required to provide proof of residency, such as a valid driver's license or a recent tax or utility bill.
The City of Ann Arbor began hosting the Election Day Vote Center on Aug. 6, 2024, to allow residents who register to vote on Election Day an opportunity to cast their Election Day vote in person. Previously, many residents who registered on Election Day at Larcom City Hall were issued absentee ballots. The Election Day Vote Center allows those registering on Election Day to vote in a similar manner to those voting at an Election Day polling place or an early vote site. The Election Day Vote Center is open at Larcom City Hall 7 a.m.–8 p.m. on Election Days, and is only available to voters registering to vote at the same time.
Absentee voting
Q: Did you receive my absentee ballot?
A: The quickest way to check the status of your absentee ballot is online at
www.michigan.gov/vote. You can also call the Ann Arbor City Clerk's office at 734.794.6140 or email
[email protected].
Q: I checked the status of my (voted) absentee ballot, and it shows as not received. What do I do?
A: Call the city clerk's office for direction. If you choose to go to your polling place because your ballot did not arrive timely, the election officials at the polling place will contact the clerk's office to confirm the ballot has not been checked in. Once your absentee ballot is cancelled, you can vote in-person. Note: Ballots already received in the clerk's office cannot be cancelled on Election Day.
Q: Is it too late to get an absentee ballot?
A: The deadline to have requested an absentee ballot was in person by 4 p.m. on the Monday before Election Day or through the mail by Friday at 5 p.m. Only voters registering to vote on Election Day can use absentee voting at the city clerk's office or satellite office. All other registered voters who have not yet requested absentee ballots by election day will have to vote in person at their polling location.
Q: I already turned in my absentee ballot, but I want to change my vote. What do I do?
A: This is referred to as “spoiling" the absentee ballot. There is NO OPTION ON ELECTION DAY to spoil an absentee ballot that has already been received by the city clerk's office. While voters have the right to “spoil" their absentee ballot for any reason, voters must have requested a new ballot by signing a written request by 10 a.m. Monday prior to Election Day.
An absentee ballot that HAS BEEN RETURNED to the city clerk's office may be spoiled in person at the city clerk's office until 5 p.m. two Fridays before the election.
An absentee ballot that HAS NOT BEEN RETURNED to the city clerk's office may be spoiled in person at the city clerk's office until 4 p.m. the Monday prior to the election.
If a voter HAS NOT RETURNED his or her ballot, the voter can surrender the ballot or sign a statement stating that the ballot was lost or destroyed and vote at the polls.
Q: I already turned in my absentee ballot, but I decided I want to instead vote in person at my polling place. What do I do?
A: A voter may “surrender" their absentee ballot and vote in person. Ballots already returned to the city clerk's office, however, cannot be spoiled or surrendered after 10 a.m. on the Monday before Election Day.
Early voting
Q: How do I get a ballot to use for early voting?
A: All registered voters may vote early at an
early voting site. Voters will be issued a ballot upon arrival at an early voting center. Voters who already have an absentee ballot but wish to instead vote early at an early voting center should bring the (blank) absentee ballot with them.
Q: I already turned in my ballot by voting early, but I want to change my vote. What do I do?
A: This is referred to as “spoiling" the (absentee) ballot. There is NO OPTION ON ELECTION DAY to spoil an absentee ballot that has already been received by the city clerk's office. While voters have the right to “spoil" their absentee ballot for any reason, voters must have requested a new ballot by signing a written request by 10 a.m. Monday prior to Election Day.
An absentee ballot that HAS BEEN RETURNED to the city clerk's office may be spoiled in person at the city clerk's office until 10 a.m. the Monday prior to the election.
An absentee ballot that HAS NOT BEEN RETURNED to the city clerk's office may be spoiled in person at the city clerk's office until 4 p.m. the Monday prior to the election.
If a voter HAS NOT RETURNED his or her ballot, the voter can surrender the ballot or sign a statement stating that the ballot was lost or destroyed and vote at the polls.
Voting at the polls
Q: Am I going to have to wait in a long line to vote at the polls?
A: Ann Arbor voters can use the online Election Day line tracker to check the real-time number of people waiting in line at their polling places and view estimated wait times. Line counts and projected wait times will be reported in real time by the election inspectors at each polling place. The line tracker also includes images of each polling place as well as links to maps and directions.
Q: What do I have to bring with me to my polling location in order to vote in person?
A: Voters who vote at their polling location must bring and present picture identification or sign an affidavit attesting that he or she is not in possession of picture identification.
Q: There's someone at my polling place campaigning too close to the entrance/building. Whom do I report this to?
A: Please report the issue directly to a poll worker at the polling location. Please do not call Ann Arbor Police unless it is an emergency.
Q: Are firearms permitted at polling places/voting centers?
A: According to state law: the open carry of firearms is prohibited by law in certain places that may be used for election purposes, including school buildings and places of worship. The exception to this rule is if the person has permission from the school officials or the owner of the place of worship or the person possesses a valid, concealed weapons license and no other building policy prohibits firearms. If neither exception applies, a person cannot openly possess a firearm, and law enforcement should be contacted as necessary.
According to state law: the concealed carry of firearms is generally prohibited in school buildings and places of worship unless a specific exception applies to the concealed pistol license holder. If no exception applies, a person cannot carry a concealed firearm in these places, and law enforcement should be contacted to assist as necessary.
Q: There's someone causing a disturbance at my polling place. Whom do I report this to?
A: If the disturbance is of a nonthreatening nature, please report the issue directly to a poll worker at the polling location. Please call Ann Arbor Police — 9-1-1 — if there is a threat/if it is an emergency.
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