Novi voters who mark candidates from both parties on their primary ballot on Tuesday, August 4, will have their vote thrown out.
Novi City Clerk Cortney Hanson appeared on the city's "Now You Novi" podcast Friday, July 31, to walk residents through ballot rejection risks and poll worker needs ahead of the primary. The episode is also on YouTube.
Michigan runs an open primary, meaning voters can choose either party's ballot. But they must stick to one party. Marking candidates from both sides causes the ballot to be rejected outright.
The warning echoes what Oakland County Clerk Lisa Brown said in a July 22 Oakland Press report: "In August elections, we see more spoiled ballots than other elections, so I also want to remind people not to cross over party lines on your primary ballot."
More than 60% of Michigan general election voters cast ballots by mail or at early voting sites in November 2024, according to a July 2025 Michigan Department of State report. That volume makes absentee ballot errors a growing concern for local clerks.
What to do if you make a mistake
The fix is simple, if you catch it in time.
Voters who haven't yet fed their absentee ballot through a tabulator can contact their clerk and "spoil" a returned ballot, then receive a new one, up until 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters who fed their ballot through a tabulator at an early voting site cannot change their vote.
Absentee ballots must reach the clerk's office or a secure drop box by 8 p.m. Tuesday, August 4.
Poll workers still needed
Hanson is also recruiting election inspectors. Novi residents who are registered voters can sign up through the state's Democracy MVP program at Michigan.gov/DemocracyMVP. The position is paid, with rates set locally. Residents as young as 16 may serve. The Novi City Clerk's office can be reached at 248-347-0456.
Election Day details
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. across Novi's 25 polling locations. Early in-person voting at the Novi Civic Center, 45175 W. Ten Mile Road, runs through Sunday, August 2, at 4:30 p.m. That site serves voters in Novi, Northville, and Novi Township.
On the ballot: voters in most Novi precincts will decide on the Oakland Schools Intermediate School District 1.5-mill regional enhancement millage, estimated to raise $125.7 million over six years. Voters in Precincts 16, 24, and 25 will vote on a Northville Public Schools 20-mill operating millage over 10 years. All Novi voters will nominate candidates for governor, U.S. senator, U.S. representative, state senator, state representative, and judicial seats.
Voters can check registration, find their polling place, view a sample ballot, or track an absentee ballot at michigan.gov/vote.
