Title
Resolution to Permanently Relocate Precinct 4-32 from the Mary Street Polling Place to the University of Michigan Coliseum and Precincts 4-33 and 3-24 from the U-M Coliseum and Tappan Middle School to the Ann Arbor Senior Center Beginning with the 2024 Presidential Primary Election
Memorandum
The City Clerk’s Office is in need of a new polling location for Precinct 4-32,which has been housed at the Mary Street Polling Place at 926 Mary Street. Earlier this summer, the Mary Street building, a City-owned facility, was damaged by a fallen tree and has been deemed too damaged for repair and slated for demolition. The City’s Senior Center has agreed to be an Election Day polling site. However, the Senior Center would be more geographically conducive to host Precinct 4-33, currently co-located at the U-M Coliseum with Precinct 4-31, and Mary Street voters are actually closer to the Coliseum than the Senior Center. Therefore, the Clerk’s Office proposes co-locating the former Mary Street Precinct at the Coliseum and moving Precinct 4-33 to the Senior Center.
The Senior Center is large enough to accommodate two precincts and is also conveniently located for voters in Precinct 3-24, currently voting at Tappan Middle School. Additional efficiencies could be achieved by eliminating the Tappan location and allowing the extra equipment to be utilized at the City’s new early voting sites. The City Clerk is recommending that the Senior Center be approved to host both the 4-33 and 3-24 precincts at this location.
The Senior Center, located at 1320 Baldwin Avenue, has previously served as a space for counting absentee ballots and is willing to become a permanent Election Day partner. The Senior Center is also a good choice for elections, as the facility is City-owned and easily accessible to staff for Election Day preparations and opening on Election mornings. The location is geographically central to voters in these precincts, has ample parking, and is accessible to voters with disabilities. The City Election Commission recommended approval of this resolution at their meeting on Tuesday, October 3, 2023.
Pursuant to Michigan Election Law, City Council approval is required to designate and prescribe the place or places of holding an election in the city.
Signage will be posted at all affected locations for all 2024 elections to direct any voters who may still arrive at the former location. In addition, new permanent voter identification cards will be issued to all affected voters, in addition to other City Communication methods, such as press releases, website posting, and social media.
The City Clerk’s Office is requesting that City Council authorize the City Administrator and the City Clerk to take any necessary action to implement this resolution.
Staff
Prepared by: Jacqueline Beaudry, City Clerk
Reviewed and approved by: City Election Commission
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The Mary Street Polling Place, Precinct 4-32, has suffered permanent structural damage from a storm-related tree fall and is slated for demolition;
Whereas, The Ann Arbor Senior Center, located at 1320 Baldwin Avenue, has agreed to be a permanent polling place;
Whereas, Precincts 4-31 and 4-33 are currently voting at the U-M Coliseum and Precinct 3-24 is located at Tappan Middle School;
Whereas, The Ann Arbor Senior Center is centrally located to voters in Precinct 3-24 and 4-33, has ample parking, and is accessible to voters with disabilities;
Whereas, The existing polling location at the Coliseum is centrally located to voters in the former Mary Street Precinct and currently houses Precinct 4-31; and
Whereas, Michigan Election Law, 168.662 (1), requires that the legislative body in each city shall designate and prescribe the place or places of holding an election in the city, and shall provide a suitable polling place for each precinct for use at each election;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve the permanent relocation of Precincts 4-33 and 3-24 to the Ann Arbor Senior Center, located at 1320 Baldwin Avenue, for all future City elections;
RESOLVED, That City Council approve the permanent relocation of Precinct 4-32 to be co-located with Precinct 4-31 at the U-M Coliseum, located at 721 S. Fifth Avenue, for all future City elections; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator and the City Clerk be authorized to take all action necessary to implement this resolution.
Sponsored by: City Election Commission