• Archive Photo. Sample Ballot from a Previous Year Election.

LANSING - Michigan residents have a new option to apply for an absentee ballot. The state has launched an online system which allows registered voters to request an absentee ballot without visiting a local clerk’s office.

The system was launched on Friday, June 12th. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said the new system makes it easier for residents to cast their vote.

“The more choices a person has when it comes to exercising their right to vote, the better they are able to make the choice that works best for them,” Benson said in a press release. “This tool provides another digital option for voters to safely and conveniently apply to receive their absentee ballot, while also offering clerks an easy, cost efficient way of processing the application securely.”

The new system comes as Benson announced last month that all registered Michigan voters would be mailed an application to request an absentee ballot for the August and November elections as a way to maintain social distancing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Voters in Meridian Township will see their local Township elected official positions on their 2020 ballots. All Meridian Township Board of Trustee positions (Supervisor, Clerk, Treasurer and four Trustees) and the Township Park Commission (five Commissioners) are up for election in 2020. These are partisan offices. The four-year term of office for each position begins November 20, 2020 and ends November 20, 2024.

The Michigan Primary election will be on August 4th and the General Election will be on November 3rd.