Clerk's Office
HOW TO APPLY FOR AN ABSENTEE BALLOT
Due to the passage of the statewide ballot proposal 18-3 in November, any person who is registered to vote may vote absentee if they desire to. If you wish to vote absentee for every election, you may request to have your name placed on our permanent absentee voter list. This would mean that you would receive an application for a ballot before every election. When the application is returned you would be issued a ballot. Please contact the Clerk’s Office at (231) 941-1620 for assistance in obtaining an Absentee Ballot, or you may access the Absentee Voter Ballot Application online.
ELECTION INSPECTORS NEEDED
The Clerk’s Office is looking for election inspectors to assist at its 6 precincts on Election Day. This is a great opportunity to serve our Garfield Township community and learn about the election process. Duties can include checking voter registration records, distributing ballots, explaining how to use the voting equipment, maintaining order, and various other duties. Election inspectors are paid for their training and working time. To qualify, you need to be a registered voter in the State of Michigan, be affiliated with a political party, and have not been convicted of a felony or election crime. If you are interested in becoming an election inspector, download the Election Inspector Application and return it to the Garfield Township Clerk's Office.
The general duties of the Garfield Township Clerk are outlined below. There are many other day-to-day duties that are not listed. For a complete list of Core Competencies outlined by the Michigan Townships Association click here.
Voting Board Member
The Clerk is elected every four years at the time of the Presidential Election and serves as a voting member of the Township Board. The Clerk is responsible for the producing and keeping of minutes for the Township Board meetings. The Clerk's Office also publishes and posts legal notices.
Election Administration
The Clerk Administers all elections in the Charter Township of Garfield. The Clerk must be certified by the Bureau of Elections. The Clerk plans, organizes, and oversees election activities including but not limited to: training Election Inspectors, preparing voting devices, preparing ballot containers, etc. and processing of absentee ballots.
Voter Registration
The Clerk maintains the voter registration files, which includes but is not limited to: Registering new voters and making address/name changes to current voters.
Records Management
The Clerk is the official custodian of Township records, books and documents such as oaths, bonds, ordinances, and resolutions.
Financial Records
Under State Statute the Clerk is responsible for keeping a record of the expenditures made for the Township. The Clerk's office processes accounts payable, and the general ledger and is responsible for preparing monthly balanced financial statements. The Clerk works closely with the Township auditor in processing accurate year end documents as required by Michigan Law.
Human Resources
The Clerk is responsible for keeping all employee records. Including employee benefits and processing and maintaining payroll.
Notary Public
The Clerk's Office provides Notary Public Service at no charge to Garfield Township residents and business owners.