With the state primary set to take place on Aug. 7, the deadline to vote by absentee ballot is just over two weeks away.

Macomb Township residents wishing to vote absentee have until 2 p.m. Aug. 4 to request an absentee ballot by mail. A voter eligible to vote absentee may also vote in person at the township clerk's office anytime up to 4 p.m. the day before the election, Aug. 6.

Completed absent voter ballot applications can be mailed to the township clerk or delivered personally to: Michael D. Koehs, CMC, Clerk; 54111 Broughton Road, Macomb, MI 48042

The clerk's office must receive abentee ballots by mail or in-person delivery by the close of the polls Aug. 7 (8 p.m.) for these votes to be counted.

As a registered voter, you may obtain an absentee voter ballot if you are:

• age 60 years old or older
• unable to vote without assistance at the polls
• expecting to be out of town on election day
• in jail awaiting arraignment or trial
• unable to attend the polls due to religious reasons
• appointed to work as an election inspector in a precinct outside of your precinct of residence.

While the deadline to register to vote in the August primary has passed, prospective voters have until Oct. 9 to register for November general election.

Clerk Michael Koehs said approximately 6,000 absentee ballots were mailed out on July 7 and about 15 percent have already been returned.

Don't vote a split ticket

Koehs reminds residents that the August ballot does not allow residents to vote a split ticket. For the partisan section, which includes all of Macomb Township's offices, voters must choose to vote a straight Republican or straight Democrat ticket. For example, voting for both incumbent Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham, who is running as a Democrat, and one of Macomb's Republican candidates will void this section of the ballot.

The nonpartisan section of the ballot, which includes the judge of the probate court and millages to support Macomb County veterans and the Detroit Institute of Arts, will not be affected by choices on the top section of this ballot.

You can see your sample ballot and request an absentee ballot on the Macomb County Clerk's website.

Use Patch's Election 2012 Guide to follow races in Macomb Township.