Mason Elections are administered by City Clerk Deborah Cwiertniewicz.  School, Local, State and Federal elections are facilitated at three election precincts located at City Hall, 201 W. Ash Street.

Mason, as of January 2007, has 5,586 registered voters.  Voter turnout percentages range from 50-80% depending on the individual election.  Historically presidential elections draw the most, while school election turnout is less than the others.

You can register to vote, change your voting address or request an application for an absentee ballot by contacting any city or township Clerk or by visiting any Secretary of State office. Online forms are available through the Secretary of State website by clicking here.  After filling in the online forms, they must be printed and mailed.

For those who are unable to make it to the polls on election day, absentee ballots are available.  A voter must return a completed absentee voter application to the City Clerk, before being mailed their ballot.

In 2004 Mason, and the State of Michigan for that matter, did away with punch-card style voting and instituted what is called the "optical scan" system.  Instead of punching holes with that little tool, voters use a marker to connect a broken arrow next to the candidate(s) of their choice listed on a paper ballot.  No computers or screens are used by voters; you mark your paper ballot, slide it inside a cover to conceal your votes and exit the voting booth.  Voters then "feed" their ballot from the secrecy cover into a tabulator that tallies the votes and secures the paper ballot.

Mason City Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms. To become a candidate for a Council seat, one must file petitions with the City Clerk that contain a minimum 25 signatures of registered city voters.

Elections Department
201 West Ash Street        517.676.9155