Election Dates:
August 4, 2026 – Mid-Term Primary Election
November 3, 2026 – Mid-Term General Election
Elections will be formally announced 85 days prior to the election date!
Early voting in Berrien County:
Early voting for the August and November elections will be conducted by the County Clerk’s Office under an Agreement for Election Services.
In prior elections, early voting was offered at two locations—one in the northern portion of the county and one in the southern portion. For this year’s elections, there will be one official early voting location.
The County Election Administration is currently evaluating Immanuel Lutheran Church, 9650 Church Street, Bridgman, Michigan, as the proposed site. Final confirmation of the location is pending.
Primary August 4th Election – Early voting begins on: Saturday: July 25th, 2026 through Sunday August 2nd, 2026
General November 3rd election – Early voting begins on: Saturday: October 24th, 2026 through Sunday November 1st, 2026.
A post card will be mailed to all residents with details and confirmation of the dates, and location of the early voting site by the Couty Clerks office.
Absent Voter Ballots and the New U.S. Postal Service postmark rule
Under a new U.S. Postal Service (USPS) rule that took effect Dec. 24, 2025, mail might not receive a postmark on the day the postal service takes possession of the mail. According to the USPS, the rule “does not change any existing postal operations or postmarking practices, but is instead intended to improve public understanding of postmarks and their relationship to the date of mailing.” While news stories covering the issue have indicated that there is an impact on voting, the only potential impact in Michigan will be for MOVE (Military Overseas Voter Enablement) voters.
In Michigan, absent voter ballots must be received by the clerk on Election Day, not postmarked, so the new postmark rule will not affect most voters. It is always the best practice for voters to mail their AV ballot well in advance of the election to ensure it is timely received and counted. If there is a concern that there is not enough time to mail an AV ballot before the election, voters are encouraged to return their ballot at OUR local drop box, deliver their ballot in person to their early voting site (if available), their polling place on Election Day, or to their clerk’s office. Dropping your ballot for St. Joseph Charter Township at another jurisdictions drop box will cause a delay in receiving the ballot. The only location of our drop box is in front of our building at 3000 Washington Avenue.
Under the Michigan Constitution, MOVE ballots are counted as long as the ballot is postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the appropriate election official within 6 days after the election. MOVE voters are encouraged to return their ballots through the mail as soon as possible to account for mail delays, as well as the possibility of a delayed postmark.
New USPS postmark rule
At the end of 2025, a new rule promulgated by the U.S. Postal Service took effect, seeking to clarify postmark practices. The rule does not alter USPS postmark practices. Rather, it is intended to make clear that the postmark will reflect the date an envelope is first processed by an automated USPS sorting machine—not the date that the piece of mail was dropped off at a USPS facility mail box. The postmark date could be several days after the mail was put in a USPS mail box. To guarantee a specific postmark date, USPS recommends that residents request a manual local postmark at a post office or USPS retail location (which is free) or purchase a certificate of mailing. Townships may wish to share information with their residents for instances when postmark is acceptable for receipt, such as certain tax exemption forms delivered to the assessor. The rule also has potential impacts for military and overseas voters (MOVE).
Under the Michigan Constitution, MOVE ballots are counted as long as the ballot is postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the appropriate election official within six days after the election. We encourage all voters and MOVE voters who return their ballots through the mail to do so as soon as possible to account for mail delays, as well as the possibility of a delayed postmark.
MOVE - Military and Overseas Voters Enablement Act:
- MOVE (Military and Overseas Voter Enablement act) Members of the Military and their spouses, voters living overseas can request a ballot sent to them by email for 2026 elections, signed and completed FPCA form must be received by a voter’s local clerk by 2 p.m. on the Saturday before Election Day. Options for returning an FPCA, including email, fax, or regular mail, are listed in the FPCA Michigan Guidance.
- AV ballots available for voters: June 25 and September 24
- New voter registrations are required in person with residence verification for the August election from: July21st through election day.
- New voter registrations are required in person with residence verification for the November election from: October 20th through election day.
Voter Registrations
Register to Vote on-line at: Register to vote
Note: first time drivers getting their license at the Secretary of States office are automatically registered to vote unless you indicate that you do not wish to be registered. Age limitations have recently been lowered and 16-year-olds will now be pre-registered to voter.
Also, at the local Secretary of States office:
1690 Mall Drive, Benton Harbor, MI
Phone: (888) 767-6424
Appointments can be made at: state.mi.us
At the Township Hall:
3000 Washington Ave., St. Joseph, MI
Picture ID will be required!
See below for more information under “7 FAQ’s about voting and voter registration”.
Election Security Spotlight - Be aware of text scams
Scammers are sending mass text messages to Michigan residents, claiming they owe money for unpaid tolls or parking tickets. These messages often create a sense of urgency, threatening legal action or penalties if the payment is not made immediately. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has confirmed that these texts are scams and urges residents to ignore and delete them. Michigan Secretary of State Branch Operations reports that many people are coming into our offices out of concern about the messages. PLEASE NOTE: that the Michigan Secretary of State will never ask people to send money or personal information via text message. Avoid clicking on any links in unsolicited text messages. Instead, verify the legitimacy of the message through official channels. Simply delete any messages that demand payment for tolls or threaten legal action, as these are not from legitimate sources.
Notice - Be up to date on Township Information:
Mark your calendars. The BEST way to receive Township information is to check our website: www.sjct.org., our Facebook page, or to join the TextMyGov option on our website (see the Home Page to join) TextMyGov will have pertinent information on all matters of Township issues that may concern you. Including election reminders. Disclaimer…TextMyGov should not be considered as a way of soliciting your votes for any candidate, only to serve as a reminder that an election is coming up.
Voting Locations
Precinct #1 - St. Joseph Township Public Safety Complex, 1750 Colfax Ave, Benton Harbor
Precinct #2 - St. Joseph Seventh Day Adventist Church, 1201 Maiden Ln, Saint Joseph
Precinct #3 - St. Joseph Charter Township Hall, 3000 Washington Ave, Saint Joseph
Precinct #4 - Peace Lutheran Church, 3590 Lincoln Ave, Saint Joseph
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Forms
Michigan Absent Voter Ballot Application
7 FAQs About Voting and Voter Registration
Where do I register to vote?
You can register to vote at your local clerk's office, county clerk's office, or at any Secretary of State branch office. On-line at Michigan Online Voter Registration (state.mi.us)
If you are registering less than 15 days before an Election, you must register to vote in person at your local clerk's office. Proof of residency will be required. (Examples of proof of residency: Copy of a bank statement; any type of utility bill – gas, electric, water or paycheck stub – any of these with your St. Joseph Township address on it.)
When is the last day to register to vote by mail?
15 days before an election.
To register by mail, complete the Michigan Voter Application and mail to your city or township clerk at least 15 days before the election.
When is the last day to register to vote in person?
8pm on Election Day.
Anyone who wishes to register to vote less than 15 days before an election, including Election Day, must register in person at their city or township clerk's office.
Who can vote by mail?
Everyone can vote by mail! No reason needed.
To request a ballot, complete the Michigan Absent Ballot Application, and mail to your city or township clerk.
How do I vote by mail for every election?
To receive an absentee ballot application for every election, ask your city or township clerk about joining the Permanent Absent Voter List.
When can I vote by mail?
Absentee ballots are available 45 days before every election. You can request to have a ballot mailed to you by the Friday before the election at 5pm. You can also request a ballot in person at your city or township clerk's office until 4pm on the Monday before the election. New voters can pick up an absentee ballot in person when they register to vote at their city or township clerk's office until 8pm on Election Day.
All ballots must be returned to the city or township clerk no later than 8pm on Election Day.
Can I register to vote at my polling place?
No. If you are not registered to vote on Election Day, you must register to vote at your city or township clerk's office; however, you may vote an absentee ballot at your city or township clerk's office when you register to vote, or you can take your registration receipt and vote in person at your polling place.