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• ABSENTEE BALLOTS: Eligible voters who want an absentee ballot delivered through the mail must file an application no later than 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1. They also can obtain an absentee ballot and vote in person at their city or township's clerk office until 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3. Emergency absentee voting is allowed until 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4. Absentee ballots must be returned to the local clerk's office no later than 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4. Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land reminds voters that no one other than the absentee voter, a family member or person residing in the voter's household, a mail carrier or election official is authorized to deliver a signed absentee voter ballot to the clerk's office. No one else should ask an absentee voter to give him/her a completed ballot. She encourages anyone who believes that these procedures are being violated to call the Department of State's Bureau of Elections toll-free at 866-766-4355.
• PHOTO ID: Michigan now requires voters to show a photo ID of some kind to vote (it doesn't have to be a driver's license). If voters don't have a photo ID with them, they can sign an affidavit and vote anyway.
• ELIGIBLE VOTERS: Out of Michigan's 10.1 million people, an estimated 7.6 million are eligible to vote. The state has more than 7.2 million registered voters. Convicted felons, that are registered and not in custody, are eligible to vote.
• PAST ELECTIONS: In the 2006 general election, 3.9 million people voted, about 54 percent of registered voters. In the 2004 presidential general election, turnout was 4.9 million, or 68 percent of registered voters.
• RACES TO WATCH: Republican presidential candidate John McCain has basically withdrawn from active campaigning in Michigan, with polls showing that Democratic candidate Barack Obama with a 2-digit lead over McCain.
Republican U.S. Reps. Tim Walberg of Tipton and Joe Knollenberg of Oakland County's Bloomfield Township face stiff challenges from Democrats Mark Schauer of Battle Creek and Gary Peters of Bloomfield Township. Both races are nationally targeted and drawing money and attention from third-party groups.
House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, is favored to be re-elected to a third and final term in the Michigan House. But local voters also will have the option recalling him. If the recall is successful, it will end his second term about a month early. But if he's also re-elected, he'll start his third term in January.
Sources: Michigan Department of State, AP research.
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