In November, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Public Act 227 of 2023, which amended state election law (MCL 168.661) to limit the number of registered voters residing in a single election precinct to 4,999. Prior to this, the limit was set at 2,999.

The City's Election Board on Dec. 4 adopted a resolution amending the boundaries of Marquette's election precincts. This boundary change, which took immediate effect, lowered the number of precincts in the City from seven to four, and staff anticipates this shift will reduce the overall cost of elections by decreasing the need for supplies and equipment and by providing additional flexibility relative to staffing and the siting of polling locations.

Per state law (MCL 168.662), "The legislative body in each municipality shall provide a suitable polling place for each precinct located in the municipality for use on election day".  In response to this new precinct alignment, staff is recommending the City Commission officially identify the polling locations to be utilized by City voters moving forward. Under the proposed precinct alignment, voters from Precincts 1 and 2 would vote in the Baraga Gym and voters from Precincts 3 and 4 would vote at the YMCA.

The proposed alignment means that voters who were previously assigned to the polling location in the City's Municipal Service Center (13 percent of the registered voters) will be assigned to the polling location in the YMCA.