The City of Traverse City issued a press release Monday warning voters that they must have their absentee ballots returned to their local clerk’s office no later than 8pm on Election Day (November 3) in order to be counted. The release came after the Michigan Court of Appeals overruled a Michigan Court of Claims decision that ballots postmarked November 2 and received within 14 days of Election Day, the deadline for certifying election results, could be counted.

Traverse City has experienced a nearly 300 percent increase in absentee ballot requests for the November 3 election, according to the release. Absentee ballots can be returned through the mail, placed in the red drop box at the Governmental Center at 400 Boardman Avenue, or hand delivered to the City Clerk’s Office between Monday and Friday from 8am-4 pm.

“A lot of information has circulated regarding voting regulations, and we want to be clear with our voting constituency that absentee ballots must be returned to the City Clerk’s Office by 8pm on Election Day in order to be counted,” says City Clerk Benjamin Marentette. “If your voting plan is to mail your absentee ballot back, we are suggesting you do so sooner than later to ensure that it arrives to our office by 8pm on Election Day.”

Voters can track the status of their absentee ballots online here.