By LINDSAY VanHULLE
TRAVERSE CITY -- The upcoming presidential election surely will be memorable, no matter who wins the White House.
Either way, the country will have either its first black president in Barack Obama, or its first female vice president in Sarah Palin.
But they need your votes. And you only have about a week left to register.
The deadline is Monday, Oct. 6.
Good news: It's fairly easy to sign up. The Secretary of State Web site has a step-by-step checklist to help you through the process.
Some important information to know:
-- Interested voters need to be a citizen of the United States, turn 18 years old by the Nov. 4 election, and live in both the state and municipality in which you plan to vote.
-- Applications can be picked up at the Secretary of State local offices, municipal clerk's offices and at community-wide voter registration drives. New voters also can register online.
-- Be sure to use the same address on your registration form as on your driver's license or photo ID card. Otherwise, Secretary of State officials will change your address to the one on the voter form.
-- If you mail in the form, make sure to include your driver's license or state ID number, or send a photocopy of either card or a billing or government document with your name and address on it.
-- You will have to vote in person the first time you vote if you mail your registration form, unless you drop off your application in person.
-- On election day, make sure to visit only the precinct to which you are assigned. Bring along a photo ID card, since a recent court ruling now requires voters to display it at the polls.
Visit www.michigan.gov/sos and click on "Elections in Michigan" for more information, including a searchable precinct database and printable application forms.
