Traverse City Record-Eagle

Election 2007

November 6, 2007

Editorial: It comes down to voters

Today is election day, and Grand Traverse-area voters in particular have a lot of decisions to make. Some of them could have long-term repercussions for the region.

The Traverse City school district is seeking the renewal of a 3.1-mill bond issue which has been used to pay for building repairs, new buses and technology upgrades.

School voters will also choose two new school board members.

Traverse City voters are being asked to allow the city to dip into the Brown Bridge Trust Fund for street and sidewalk repairs.

They also will elect a mayor and three city commissioners.

Grand Traverse and Leelanau County voters will decide a Bay Area Transportation Authority millage renewal request.

-- Across the region, voters face a variety of issues and contested races.

Voters in Benzie County will decide several countywide funding proposals and a school board position.

In Antrim County, Boyne City, Charlevoix and East Jordan, voters will elect city representatives.

Cheboygan city voters will decide on a property tax hike, Grayling voters will choose three city council members, Petoskey voters will choose a council member and in Harbor Springs, three candidates are running for two council seats.

Two candidates are seeking a single seat on the Forest Area Community Schools board and two write-in candidates are facing off in Whitewater Township for a single trustee spot.

In Kalkaska County's Springfield Township, voters will decide ambulance and fire millages.

In Leelanau County, Elmwood Township voters will decide a fire levy.

In Manistee County, Onekama schools voters will decide a millage issue.

In Lake City in Missaukee County, voters will decide on a Headlee rollback and a code enforcement levy.

Cadillac voters will choose a mayor, Manton voters a commissioner and Cedar Creek Township residents will decide two recalls.

Wherever you live and whatever the issues, take the time to vote.

-- Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

-- For the first time, Michigan voters will have to provide a photo identification before casting a ballot. Legal challenges to a photo ID law first passed a decade ago have been resolved, and the law is going into effect. This year, however, because the law is new, voters without an ID will still be able to vote by filling out and signing an affidavit swearing that they are the person on the voting rolls.

The affidavit is in addition to an application to vote that all voters, with or without photo ID, must sign. That is also new this year.

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