Voting and Ballot Information
See below for a breakdown of the bond proposal ballot language as well as key information about the vote!
Voting Information
Voting Precincts
Tuesday, November 3, 2026 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Polling locations have been consolidated. Find your location below:
- Bengal, Ovid, and Bingham Townships:
Vote at Bingham Township Hall, 2057 N Lansing St., St, Johns 48879 - Duplain Township:
Vote at Elsie Public Library/Duplain Township Hall, 145 W. Main St., Elsie - Essex Township:
Vote at Maple Rapids Community Center, 209 W. Union St., Maple Rapids - GreenbushTownship:
Vote at Greenbush Township Hall, 1883 E. French Rd., St. Johns, MI 48879 - Dewitt Charter Township and Olive Township:
Vote at Olive Township Hall, 1400 W. Pratt Rd., Dewitt - Watertown, Westphalia, and Riley Townships:
Vote at Riley Township Hall, 7110 W. Pratt, Dewitt - Victor Township:
Vote at Victor Township Hall, 6843 East Alward Road, Laingsburg - Fulton Township & Washington Township in Gratiot County
Vote at Washington Township Hall, 8989 S. Baldwin Rd., Ashley - The City of St. Johns:
Precinct 1 - First Baptist Church, 512 S. US-27, St. Johns
Precinct 2 - Nazarene Church, 515 N. Lansing St., St. Johns
Precinct 3 - First Baptist Church, 512 S. US-27, St. Johns
Unsure of your polling place? Visit mi.gov/vote to learn more.
Registering to vote
The last day for voters to register by mail is October 19, 2026
Voters may register in person through November 3, 2026, (election day) with the required documentation
Absentee Voting
Absentee voter ballots are available as early as September 19 until November 3, 2026 (election day)
- On or before Saturday, September 19, 2026 - Absent voter ballots must be available to be sent to voters serving in the military or living overseas
- Absentee voter ballots must be available by Thursday, September 24, 2026 to be sent to members of the general public
- Contact your local clerk with questions
Attend a public information community forum:
Dates to be announced
Ballot Language Breakdown
What is the ballot language?
The language that will appear on the November 3 ballot is as follows:
Shall St. Johns Public Schools, Clinton and Gratiot Counties, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds therefor for the purpose of:
remodeling, furnishing and refurnishing, and equipping and reequipping school buildings, including for school security; erecting, furnishing, and equipping a new transportation building and additions to school buildings; acquiring and installing instructional technology; erecting, equipping, preparing, developing, and improving athletic fields and facilities, playgrounds, and sites; and purchasing school buses?
The following is for informational purposes only:
The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2027, under current law, is 1.94 mills ($1.94 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a 0.00 mill net increase over the prior year’s levy. The maximum number of years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is twenty (20) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 2.25 mills ($2.25 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).
The school district expects to borrow from the State School Bond Qualification and Loan Program to pay debt service on these bonds. The estimated total principal amount of that borrowing is $1,608,798 and the estimated total interest to be paid thereon is $387,502. The estimated duration of the millage levy associated with that borrowing is 7 years and the estimated computed millage rate for such levy is 7.00 mills. The estimated computed millage rate may change based on changes in certain circumstances.
The total amount of qualified bonds currently outstanding is $54,310,000. The total amount of qualified loans currently outstanding is $238,751.
(Pursuant to State law, expenditure of bond proceeds must be audited and the proceeds cannot be used for repair or maintenance costs, teacher, administrator or employee salaries, or other operating expenses.)
In the ballot language, the first paragraph states a not to exceed figure of $40,000,000 of general obligation unlimited tax bonds, what does this mean?
If this bond proposal is approved by voters, the maximum amount of bonds to be issued can be no greater than
$40,000,000.
In the ballot language, it states that the estimated millage that will be levied in 2027 to pay the proposed bonds in the first year is 1.94 mills, what does this mean?
This means that the allocated bond millage for this proposal to be levied in the first year (2027) is 1.94 mills.
(1.94 mills new bonds + 5.06 mills existing bonds = 7.00 total estimated 2027 millage rate)
In the ballot language it states that the maximum number of years any series of bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of refunding, is not more than 20 years, what does this mean?
The school district plans to issue the bonds in a single series, in 2027. The bond series would have a length of 20 years or shorter.
In the ballot language it states that estimated simple average annual millage that will be required to retire this bond debt is 2.25 mills annually, what does this mean?
This means that over the entire life of the bond proposal that the average annual bond millage rate is estimated to be 2.25 mills.
In the ballot language it states that the school district does expect to borrow from the State to pay debt service on the bonds. It also says the estimated total principal amount of the borrowing is $1,608,798 and estimated interest is $387,502. What does this mean?
In order to achieve a lower targeted total bond millage rate of 7.00, the school district is utilizing a State program known as the School Loan Revolving Fund ("SLRF"). The SLRF provides loans to school districts for voted bond issues reducing the amount property taxes needed to be collected from the community in order to fund the annual bond payments during the borrowing period. This paragraph provides the estimated amount of borrowing and interest associated with this bond proposal by participating in the SLRF.
In the ballot language it states that the estimated duration of the borrowing is 7 years and that the estimated computed millage rate for such levy is 7.00 mills. What does this mean?
This section means that it is estimated that the school district will participate in the School Loan Revolving Fund ("SLRF") for a 7-year duration and that the presently agreed upon participation bond millage rate is 7.00.
In the ballot language it states that the amount of qualified bonds currently outstanding is $54,310,000 and that the total amount of qualified loans currently outstanding is $238,751. What does this mean?
The Michigan School Bond Qualification and Loan Program ("SBQLP") is a state program that assists school districts with voted bond issues by providing a bond rating credit enhancement which assists in reducing borrowing costs. The term "qualified" in this case means that the school district has existing bonds outstanding that are qualified by the SBQLP. At the time of the election the principal amount of qualified bonds is $54,310,000. Another State program known as the School Loan Revolving Fund ("SLRF") provides loans to school districts to assist with voted bonds annual payments if needed. The term "qualified loans" refers to any SLRF loan balances outstanding. The school district has almost completely repaid its loans from prior bond issues participating in this program and therefore the balance at the time of the election is $238,751.
