Olson Library to Host City Clerk Satellite Office Ahead of Election

Northern Michigan University's Lydia M. Olson Library will host a temporary City of Marquette clerk satellite office from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 26-29, providing an on-campus option to register to vote, update registration, request an absentee ballot, return a completed absentee ballot and ask election-related questions ahead of the Nov. 3 General Election.

The station will be located along the library's main walkway near the information desk. Marquette City Clerk Kyle Whitney said election staff will be on-site throughout the five-hour daily window to assist residents with registration and absentee voting.

"If people want to make sure they're registered or they have questions about that registration, that is something they can take care of there as well," Whitney said. "They can register if they're not registered to vote or they can change their address."

Leslie Warren, dean of Library and Instructional Support, said Olson Library's central location, high student traffic and visibility made it a natural fit, as well as the "strong relationship between libraries and democracy and libraries and nonpartisan neutrality."

Warren said bringing the clerk's office onto campus is especially useful for students who may be newly eligible to vote or navigating an election for the first time.

"We want to make sure that our students have an easy opportunity to engage in voting," Warren said. "For many of our students, they've only recently turned 18. This will be their first big election, and we want to make sure that they have easy access to the clerk's office."

The satellite office is not an early voting site with a ballot tabulator. City of Marquette voters who want to cast a ballot through Michigan's early in-person voting process can do so at the lower level of Peter White Public Library, 217 N. Front St., from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily Oct. 24-Nov. 1.

Whitney said the campus location is intended to make election services easier to access. Michigan's deadline to register online or by mail for the Nov. 3 election is Oct. 19. Beginning Oct. 20, anyone registering for the election must do so in person at their local clerk's office or an authorized satellite office and provide proof of residency.

That timing was an important part of bringing the clerk's office directly to NMU.

Whitney said students sometimes reach the final weeks before an election before realizing they are registered to vote in a location other than where they expected it to be. Having staff on campus gives them a place to ask questions, confirm their registration and understand their options before Election Day.

Students who choose to register using their Marquette address will be asked for identification and proof of residency. Students can generate an official address document through MyNMU by selecting the "Voter Address Verification" tile. After reviewing the addresses listed for accuracy, they can select "Generate Document" to create a PDF that can be printed and presented to election staff.

Students do not have to move their voter registration to Marquette simply because they attend NMU. Students who keep their permanent home address can pursue absentee voting or other options through the jurisdiction where they are registered.

"Having a plan where you want to vote is great," Whitney said. "Students should understand the process and know where they intend to vote before Election Day. Students with questions can call the clerk's office or use Michigan.gov/Vote to check their registration and other voter information."

For City of Marquette voters, the Olson Library location will also accept completed absentee ballots. Whitney said the ballot return operation will function similarly to the city's other drop boxes. Election staff will monitor the location while it is open, and returned ballots will be transported back to the clerk's office in certified ballot transfer containers.

The partnership developed after Whitney contacted NMU's President's Office earlier this year to discuss ways the city and university could improve election-related outreach on campus.

Whitney said the city had explored previous efforts at NMU, including election outreach dating back to 2020 and additional efforts in 2024, but wanted a more visible and centrally located presence this year. After discussions with the university, representatives walked through campus and identified Olson Library as a location that could reach students without requiring them to leave campus.

For Warren, one of the biggest advantages is convenience. Students no longer have to determine where the clerk's office is, arrange transportation downtown or fit another off-campus trip into their schedules simply to ask questions about registration.

"It will be convenient. It will be visible, and there will be somebody here to help," Warren said.

That accessibility may be particularly useful for students participating in an election for the first time.

"Many college students are newly eligible to vote and are still learning how registration, absentee ballots and different voting options work. Bringing knowledgeable city staff into a familiar campus location gives students an opportunity to learn what applies to their individual situation." Warren said.

The library itself will continue operating normally while the satellite office is open. Warren said

Olson Library was designed with space that can accommodate programs and community events, allowing the clerk's office to operate near the information desk without disrupting regular library services.

The city and library are also working together on promotion for the station. Warren said information will be distributed through social media, flyers and screens inside the library in the weeks leading up to Oct. 26.

Both Warren and Whitney said they hope the partnership makes it easier for students to find accurate election information and make their own plans before Election Day.

Warren said she would welcome similar collaborations in the future, noting that Olson Library regularly looks for opportunities to connect NMU students with resources in the surrounding community.

"The partnership reflects NMU's emphasis on community and connections by bringing a city service directly into a space students already use every day," Warren said.

Students can check their voter registration status, view their sample ballot and find additional information about voting in Michigan at Michigan.gov/Vote.