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As we gather to celebrate and honor our veterans this Memorial Day, it's appropriate to consider amending our laws to allow our overseas servicemen and women the opportunity to vote. I'm referring to Michigan being named a "No Time to Vote" state by the Pew Center on the States, a non-partisan and non-profit national research organization focused on good government. This past January, the Pew Center released a report on each state's voting procedures for overseas servicemen and women. Michigan unfortunately ranked near the bottom and the Pew Center singled our state out as one needing voting reforms to increase the likelihood the military vote will be counted. The report points to the fact that it would take 57 days for an overseas military voter to complete the process to vote in any election under our current laws. The full report can be found at www.pewcenteronthestates.org. At Oakland County we take every step we can under the current law to ensure that overseas ballots are handled as expeditiously as possible. We understand that those who are prepared to give the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms deserve every extra effort we can give so they can exercise their democratic rights. Overseas ballots are hand delivered to clerks and election workers up to and including the day of the election. We program and print absentee ballots ourselves so that we can make them available earlier than even the state deadline. We also provide an online absentee ballot tracker program so all voters can track where in the process their ballot request is and whether their ballot has been received. The problem lies in our antiquated election laws and procedures. Many other states are far ahead of Michigan in the use of technology in voting. State law can and should be changed to allow an overseas military voter to request and receive an absentee ballot by electronic means. According to the Pew Report, this simple change would give our military the time they need to cast their ballot and have it counted. Of course procedures would need to be carefully developed to ensure security and secrecy. Other states have these laws in place, we should too. I have contacted several legislators in both parties to ask that they pursue this change in the law. Over this Memorial Day weekend, as you remember all of those who have served and continue to serve, consider doing the same. We live in the greatest democracy in the world because we have free and open elections, let your state legislator know you want our military service people to have the same voting opportunity, too.
Ruth Johnson
Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds The worst of times isn't bringing out the best in some people. Here in Oakland County, some unscrupulous investors and overwhelmed financial institutions are, in effect, "stealing" the last chance some families have to save their foreclosed homes. The problem is this: Most homeowners who lose their homes to foreclosure have six months - even after the home has been sold at sheriff's sale - to redeem their home. All they need is the money and the amount they need to pay. In March 2005, however, well-intentioned state lawmakers changed real estate law to prohibit Michigan's county registers from calculating the amount of money necessary to redeem a home that has gone through foreclosure - a simple calculation registers had provided for years as a public service. The change in law had unforeseen consequences. It gave the responsibility of calculating the redemption amount to the investor who had purchased the home - the people with a very real financial stake in keeping the newly purchased home. We have had complaints from original homeowners who say it is nearly impossible to find out the amount needed to save their homes. Phones are disconnected. Telephone calls reportedly aren't returned. Some have been forced to hire attorneys to force companies or investors to release what is very basic information. Worse yet, some of these institutions are charging more than $200 to provide the redemption amount, which literally takes just minutes to calculate - and this to families already in financial crisis. Our office, working with Macomb County Clerk/Register Carmella Sabaugh in a bipartisan effort, has pushed for legislation that would restore our ability to provide redemption amounts as a neutral government agency with no financial stake in the outcome - known as Senate Bill 1390. We believe we can provide that same calculation for $50 or less, just to cover our expenses. We have run into opposition - lobbyists are working very hard against this consumer protection bill. Senate Bill 1390 would not mandate that other county registers get back into the business of providing calculations, just allow those of us who want to provide that service to do so. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Nancy Cassis, (R-Novi), was approved by the Michigan Senate Banking Committee last week and now goes to the Senate for consideration. If it isn't taken up and passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives by the end of the year, the bill dies. Times are tough, but common decency shouldn't be. It's important to act quickly - more than 9,000 people in Oakland County alone have lost their homes to foreclosure since the bill was introduced on Jan. 4, 2008. We aren't asking for a bail-out or a tax credit - just the ability to perform a simple calculation that will help families save their homes. I would urge you to contact your local senator to urge support for Senate Bill 1390. Ruth Johnson
Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds
OCT 2008
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