With many predicting a record turnout for the 2016 general election on Nov. 8, Cass County Register/Clerk Monica Kennedy wants to make sure everyone is aware of their voter rights.

Polls in Michigan will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. To find out if you are eligible to vote and where your polling is, people can go to casscountymi.org.

“As long as they have recently registered to vote,” Kennedy said, “they can vote in the election. The deadline was Oct. 11. There should not be any issues. If anyone would like to find out if they are registered for the election they can call us here at the county. That will save stress on election day.”

Michigan voters may be confused about straight ticket voting.

According to Kennedy, voters can vote straight ticket on all partisan candidates such as representatives, congressmen and president, but they will still have to vote individually for non-partisan candidates such as county judge, village officials and school board members.

Kennedy also said that people can vote straight ticket, but still vote for another candidate.

“There was a law passed that eliminated the straight ticket option. However, that was appealed,” she said. “So we do have that option on the November ballot. That caused a lot problems getting ballots created and that is why we were delayed. It is on the ballot for this November, but it will be revisited in two years.

“The thing for voters to remember is if they connected an arrow for straight ticket it only votes the partisan section of the ballots,” Kennedy said. “You can always override it if you want to vote all Democratic on your ballot, but to vote for one Green Party candidate for example, you can connect the straight ticket arrow and then go to the one office where you would like to differ and connect that arrow. It will override that one office only.”

While Michigan requires identification to vote, those who do not have a photo ID or have left it home can still vote as long as they sign an affidavit.

“The law has gone back and forth, but where it stands right now is if you have a photo ID on you or in your car, legally you do have to show it. If you swear you are not in possession of an ID and it is not in your car, on the reverse side of the application to vote there is an affidavit where I swear I do not have any photo ID on me.

“They are not going to ask you to drive back home and get it, but if it is in your car they are going to ask you to go get it. If you have it on you and you refuse to show it you cannot vote.”

Felons are also allowed to vote if they are not serving a jail sentence and are registered.

Since voting is not an easy process, and with a lot of things on the ballot this year, voters whose ballots get rejected have the right to ask for a new one and start over. Election workers are there to assist if needed.

However, Kennedy said she is still in the process of finding additional workers since this year’s election is predicted to be one of the biggest in history.

Voters are allowed to take a list of candidates into the voting booth, but are asked to make sure they do not leave that list behind when they leave. Voters are also allowed to take a helper into the voting booth, but must tell the election workers before doing so.

With such a large turnout predicted, Kennedy said that voters should be patient, and if possible, pick an off-peak time.

She expects heavy turnouts when the polls open, between noon and 1 p.m. and beginning at 5 p.m., when voters are getting off of work.

“The demand for absentee ballots has been huge,” Kennedy said. “Most of the local clerks are saying they are seeing people who have never voted before requesting absentee ballots. I suggest people think about that and not wait until the last minute to get in line. I think we are going to see lines at this election. So if you can go at off-peak times that would be best for voters who do not want to wait in line. It also helps to research your ballot because it is such a long ballot front and back.”

Voters may research the ballot at michigcan.gov/vote.