Q: How much does it cost to get a marriage license?
A: $20 for Michigan residents and $30 for out-of-state residents.

Q: How long does it take to get a marriage license in Michigan?
A: Three (3) days.

Q: Do both people have to come to apply for the marriage license?
A: No. If only one applicant is present, however, a photo copy of the other
person’s driver’s license (or other picture identification) showing a correct
address is required.

Q: What do I need to bring with me when applying?
A: Picture identification for each person. Birth certificates are NOT required, but
contain all of the pertinent information you will need to provide for both parties
such as birth dates & birth places, parents’ full names, including mother’s maiden
name and the state where each parent was born.

Q: How long is my license good for?
A: A marriage license must be used within 30 days.

Q: How do I know what county to get my marriage license in?
A: If one or both of you have a Jackson County address, you may apply at the
Jackson County Clerk’s Office. The license can then be used anywhere in the
state. If you are not a Michigan resident, you must get your license in the county
where the marriage is to take place.

Q: Do witnesses of marriages have to be a certain age?
A: Yes. A person must be the age of 18 to legally be permitted to act as a witness of marriage.

Q: I live far away. Do I have to come in person to get a copy of my birth or
marriage certificate?
A: No. Requests may be made by mail or forms to request certified copies of
birth, death, or marriage certificates are available online.

Q: How long does it take to get a copy of a birth certificate or other document?
A: In-person requests will be processed immediately. Mail requests are processed
and mailed within two (2) days of receipt.

Q: Can I get a copy of someone else’s birth, death, or marriage certificate?
A: Birth records are confidential and available only to the person or parents of the
person named in the record. If you are an heir, legal guardian, or legal represen-
tative of the person whose birth certificate you are requesting, additional docu-
mentation is required. Contact this office at: (517) 788-4265.
Death and marriage certificates are not confidential.

Q: I am adopted. Where do I get a copy of my original birth certificate?
A: Adopted persons’ birth records are not available through this office. Contact the Michigan Dept. of Comunity Health in Lansing, at: (517) 335-8666. For records
of births that occurred prior to Sept. 30, 1978, where parents were not married, you need to contact the Michigan Dept. of Community Health in Lansing as well.

Q: My business has been incorporated with the state. Do I also have to file with
the county?
A: No. Corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, and non-profit organizations owned by corporations do not file at the county level - just the state
level.

Q: How much does it cost to file my business name?
A: The fee is $10 and the certificate is required to be renewed every five (5) years.

Q: How much does it cost to get a passport? Is there a difference in passport
fees for adults and children?
A: For applicants age 16 and over, the passport fee is $85. For persons age 15 and under, the fee is $70. This includes a $30 execution fee.

Q: How many checks or money orders should I bring with me when applying?
A: Even if you are paying for several passports at the same time, you will need at
least two (2) checks or money orders. The $30 execution fee (per passport) is
payable to the County Clerk and the balance of the fees will be sent to the
Department of State.

Q: Do you take passport pictures at your office?
A: Yes. The fee is $10 for two (2) pictures or you can check with your insurance
company or the yellow pages for firms in the area. Be sure to specify passport photos when you have them taken as they must not exceed 2 x 2 inches in size. They may be color or black and white.

Q: I’m 16 years old, but I don’t have a driver’s license to use as ID for my pass-
port. Is there anything else I can use?
A: A state-issued ID, if you have one, otherwise, a parent’s current valid driver’s
license or state-issued ID may be used with a parent present.

Q: I need to get passports for my children. Do they have to come to the office
in person?
A: Children 13 and over are required to appear in person when submitting their
applications. A parent must accompany any child under 16 who comes to apply
for a passport.

Q: How long does it take to get my passport once I have applied?
A: You should receive your passport within 4 - 6 weeks.

Q: What do I do if I need my passport immediately?
A: If you need your passport within three (3) business days from receipt of the application, you may request expedited service and pay a fee of $60 per application which is in addition to the regular passport fee.

Q: Can I renew my passport by mail?
A: Yes, if certain criteria has been met. You can obtain Form DSP-82 (Application
for Passport by Mail) from our office, a travel agent or from the internet at:
http://travel.state.gov.

Additional information may be obtained from the National Passport Information Center by calling: 1-900-225-5674. Automated information is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Operators can be reached Monday - Friday, excluding Federal holidays, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Services are provided in English, Spanish, and by TDD (1-900-225-7778).

Voter Registration

Q: Who may register to vote?
A: * U.S. Citizen.
* At least 18 years old by election day.
* A resident of Michigan and the city or township where you are applying to vote.

Q: When may I register?
A: At any time, however, you must be registered at least 30 days before an election in order to vote in that election.

Q: Do I have to register for each election?
A: NO. Registration is permanent as long as you continue to live in the city or township where you are registered.

Q: Where may I register to vote?
A: * Any of the 178 Secretary of State branch offices located throughout the state.
* Your city, township or county clerk’s office.
* Any Family Independence Agency Office.
* Specified agencies providing services through FIA, Department of Community Health or Michigan Jobs Commission that offer voter registration services to their clients.

Q: May I register to vote by mail?
A: YES. Individuals who register to vote by mail must vote in person in the first election following their registration. A mail-in voter registration form may be requested from your local clerk or downloaded from the Department of State at: www.sos.state.mi.us.

Q: Will changing my voter registration address affect my driver’s license address?
A: YES. Beginning April 1, 2000, Michigan voters must use the same address for voter registration and driver’s license purposes. Consequently, if you submit a voter registration change, it will be applied to your driver’s license. Similarly, if you submit a driver’s license change, it will be applied to your voter registration. It is important to provide your signature on the voter registration form when changing your address at the Secretary of State branch office. Local clerks cannot accept a new voter without a signature. Your registration will be rejected if you decline to sign the registration form.

Q: What should I do if I moved within my city or township of residence?
A: You should immediately notify the clerk of your city or township of residence.

Q: What should I do if I moved to a different city or township in Michigan?
A: You must re-register with the clerk in your new city or township of residence.

Q: What should I do if I change my name?
A: You should take your legal proof of name change to any Secretary of State Office and update your driver’s license/identification and voter registration information. Be sure to provide the Secretary of State with a new signature on your voter registration application.

Absentee Voting

Q: Can I vote by absentee ballot?
A: If you are a registered voter, you may vote by absentee ballot if any of these situations exist:
* You are 60 years of age or older;
* You expect to be absent from your city or township for the entire time the polls are open on election day;
* You are unable to vote without the assistance of another person;
* You are unable to attend the polls because of religious beliefs;
* You have been assigned to work as a precinct inspector in a precinct other than where you are registered;
or
* You are confined in jail awaiting arraignment or trial.

Q: How do I receive the absentee ballot?
A: You may obtain an absent voter ballot by writing to your city or township clerk. (Send request to school district for school elections.) Ballots cannot be issued from a telephone request. Written requests must include:
* Your name
* The address where you are registered
* The date of election
* The reason why you need an absent voter ballot
* The address where you wish to receive your ballot. (This must be your registration address, an address outside of your jurisdiction or residence, a hospital, or some other type of residential institution.)
* Your signature and the date of your request.
In lieu of a letter, you may request a pre-printed absent voter ballot application form from your city or township clerk. (Request from school district for school elections.)

Q: I live temporarily outside the United States. How do I receive an absentee ballot?
A: Registered voters living temporarily outside of the U.S. can use a Federal Postcard Application to apply for an absent voter ballot. The FPCA must be signed under oath unless you, your spouse, or your parents are serving in the armed forces or Merchant Marines.

Q: What is the deadline for applying for absentee ballots?
A: Application must be made by 2:00 p.m. on the Saturday preceding the election. If an Absentee Ballot is required after this deadline, the elector may go to the clerk’s office on any working day up to 4:00 p.m. of the day preceding election. Both application and voting the ballot will occur at this time in the clerk’s office.

Q: When must the ballot be returned?
A: Your completed absent voter ballot must be received by your city or township clerk’s office no later than 8:00 p.m. on the date of the election. (Return ballot to school district for school elections.)

Voting Procedures

Q: Where do I vote?
A: If you do not know the location of your polling place, check with your city, township, or village clerk or click on: Precinct Polling Locations. Check with your school district for school elections.

Q: When are the polls open?
A: In Michigan, the polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on election day.

Q: What is the voting procedure?
A: The voting procedure involves three steps:
1. You sign an Application to Vote form.
2. An election inspector checks your name against the list of registered voters for the precinct.
3. You vote.

Procedures vary according to the type of equipment used in your city or township. Poll workers will provide information on voting procedures if you request it before you enter the voting station. Poll workers are not allowed to tell you how to vote, nor may they attempt to influence your vote in any way.

Q: What should I do if my name does not appear on the list of registered voters at my polling place?
A: Answer any questions the precinct inspectors may ask in attempting to confirm your registration. Contact your local clerk.

Q: May I receive assistance when voting?
A: If you are blind, unable to read English or are otherwise unable to vote independently, you may bring an assistant (assistant cannot be your employer, an agent of your employer or an officer or agent of your union) or you can ask the precinct board for assistance. Two precinct inspectors (one from each political party) will render assistance.

Q: May I take campaign literature into the polling place?
A: Yes, as long as the articles are for your personal use and you do not distribute or display them to others in the polling place. In addition, you may not leave any materials in the polling place.

Q: Is there a difference between a primary and general election?
A: YES. A primary election is held by the political parties to select their nominees for the offices to be elected at the upcoming general election. In a primary, you may vote on only ONE party ticket. You may not split your ticket.
A general election is between party nominees and any candidates without political affiliation. The general election determines which candidates will occupy the office that is up for election. Statewide proposals also appear on the general election ballot.

Q: Is campaigning allowed on election day?
A: YES, as long as it is done at least 100 feet from any door used by voters to enter or exit the building in which the polls are located

How to obtain a Vital Record from the State of Michigan

Michigan law requires a written application and prepayment of the established fee before the state vital recoreds office can search for and provide a certiefied copy of a Michigan vital record.

A: From the Vital Records Web site, you can download application forms for ordering a Michigan vital record by mail. The Internet address is: www.michigan.gov/mdch and click on: Birth, Death, Marriage & Divorce Records.

B: If you have a credit card and have access to the Internet you can order a birht death marriage or divorce record online. After following the instructions listed above, click on "Order A Certificate Online ". You also have the choice of regular mail delivery, for this option, click on "Order a Record by Mail".

C: If you do not have a credit card or access to the Internet, you may send your applicaiton and payment via special mailing, i.e. UPS, Federal Express, Airborne, Express Mail, etc. Please include a pre-paid, self-addressed special mailing envelope and the state will be happy to return your request in the envelop provided.

D: If you have an urgent need for a Michiga vital record and do not have a credit card, please call the State Vital Records Office to speak with a customer service representative at: (517) 335 - 8666.