Election Division


A voting yard sign that says "vote here" with an arrow pointing to the left.

Upcoming Elections 

2021 is an election year in the City of Jackson. The first election is happening Tuesday, Aug. 3 with the August Primary Election. The only race that will appear on ballots in the City is the primary election for Mayor of Jackson. Residents will vote for one of the four candidates on the ballot. The following candidates will appear on ballots in the Mayoral Primary: 

  • Jeromy Alexander
  • Daniel Mahoney
  • Laura Dwyer Schlecte
  • John Wilson

The top two candidates with the most votes will move on to the Tuesday, Nov. 2 General Election. The deadline to register as a write-in candidate for the August primary is Friday, July 23 at 4 p.m.

There will be no primary election for the races in Wards 1, 3 and 5 because only two or less candidates filed. These City Council seats will be decided in the Tuesday, Nov. 2 election. The following candidates will appear on ballots for City Council races: 

Ward 1 City Council 

  • Dena Morgan
  • Arlene Robinson     

Ward 3 City Council 

  • Caleb Blondke
  • Angelita Velasco Gunn

Ward 5 City Council 

  • Karen Bunnell 

City Councilmembers serve four year terms and the Mayor serves a two year term. City of Jackson elections are held on odd-numbered years and are non-partisan.  

Where to Vote
All precincts within each ward vote at the same location. Map of the City of Jackson's ward boundaries (PDF)

  • WARD 1: Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 1107 Adrian St. 
  • WARD 2: Boos Center in Loomis Park, 210 Gilbert St. 
  • WARD 3: St. John's Parish Center, 711 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. 
  • WARD 4: First Presbyterian Church, 743 W. Michigan Ave. 
  • WARD 5: St. John's United Center for Caring, 801 S. Mechanic St. 
  • WARD 6: Cascades Baptist Church, 1012 W. High St. 
All polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

COVID-19 safety guidelines will be used at all polling places to protect the health of poll workers and voters. Those concerned about voting in person may request an absentee ballot.

Voting Absentee 

Those wanting to request an absentee ballot, who have not already applied, may apply on the Secretary of State’s website, by mail, by email, or in person. If you’d like to check on the status of your absentee ballot, such as if one is coming to your home or has been received by the City Clerk’s Office, visit the Secretary of State’s website.

 

It’s important for absentee voters living in the same household to pay close attention to ensure the ballot assigned to them is returned in the appropriate envelope. Contact the City Clerk’s Office if a mistake is made on your absentee ballot to get instructions on how to correct it. Voters may return ballots directly to the City Clerk’s Office on the First Floor of Jackson City Hall.  


Two ballot drop boxes are available for contactless submission or absentee ballots. One is located outside Jackson City Hall at 161 W. Michigan Ave. and another is located inside the City Clerk's Office. 


Those opting to return ballots by mail are encouraged to do so as early as possible. In the days before the election, voters are urged to directly submit their completed absentee ballots to the City Clerk's Office using a drop box or in-person submission. 


Voters who are registering to vote on Election Day may obtain and vote an absentee voter ballot in person at the Clerk's Office or vote in person at their voting precinct. 


City Hall drop box


Interior drop box in City Clerk's Office


Ballot Submission Deadline 

The Michigan Secretary of State has ballot submission deadlines listed on its website.  

Spoiling an Absentee Ballot 

If a voter has already voted absentee and wishes to change their vote, a voter can spoil their ballot by submitting a written request to the City Clerk's Office. More information is available about this on the Secretary of State’s website. 

See your Ballot Before Voting 
If you'd like to see what's on your ballot before heading to the polls, sample ballots are available online.

About Elections in Jackson
Elections in the City of Jackson are administered by the Jackson City Clerk's Office. The City Clerk is the Chief Election Officer and is responsible for conducting all elections held in the City of Jackson. Voter registrations are processed daily through the statewide qualified voter file to maintain the records of approximately 23,000 registered city voters. The city is divided into six wards and 16 precincts with conveniently located polling places for voters to cast their ballots on election days.


Election Results
City of Jackson election results are reported through the Jackson County Clerk's website.

Election Resources