2026 PRIMARY ELECTION

AUGUST 4

Election season is underway! The Statewide Primary Election is on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. Voting ensures representation at the local, state, and federal level. Even the smallest of elections can have a big impact for the future. You can register to vote up to and even on Election Day. It's your right!

Primary Election

The August 4, 2026 election is a statewide primary where you vote for the candidates that will be placed on the ballot for the general election in November. 

Voters should be aware that a statewide primary election does not allow for voting of candidates in opposite political parties, or in other words, only one side of the ballot can be voted. Please read carefully when reviewing your ballot to avoid errors.

Absentee Voting

As of Thursday, June 25, 2026, Absentee Ballots are available at your City Clerk's Office. For those who are enrolled in the Permanent Ballot List, or who have completed an Absentee Ballot Application, the initial mailing of ballots will take place on Friday, June 26, 2026. Absentee ballots will continue to be mailed as applications are received.

A voter may run their absentee ballot through a tabulator during Early In-Person Voting or at their precinct on election day (and of course, you may still return the ballot to the City Clerk's Office by 8 pm on election day to have it tabulated by the Absent Voter Counting Board).

Electronic Notification System

Proposal 2022-2 amended the Michigan Constitution to include a voter’s right to receive updates on the status of their absent voter (AV) ballot applications and ballots, including by electronic notification. 

Voters can subscribe to receive electronic notifications at Michigan.gov/Vote directly, when registering to vote, or when submitting an online AV application.

Once subscribed, voters will be notified of all the following: 

• When their AV ballot or application has been received by their local clerk,  
• When their AV ballot has been sent by their local clerk, 
• If their AV ballot or application has been rejected for any deficiency, 
• Instructions for how to cure any deficiency to have their AV ballot or application accepted.  

Early In-Person Voting

Early In-Person Voting will begin on Saturday, July 25, 2026, and will run through Sunday, August 2, 2026, from 9 am to 5 pm. The Early Voting Site for voters in the City of Traverse City is at the Governmental Center, Lower Level, 400 Boardman Avenue.

Precinct 4 Location Change

As a reminder, Precinct 4 has moved polling locations.

Voting Precinct 4

Fire Station 1

500 W. Front Street

Traverse City, MI 49684

Third Party Voting Advocates

During election season, third party organizations that advocate for voter participation may send you text messages, emails, and absentee ballot applications (even if you are already registered, have completed a form, etc.)

Have a question on the status of your voter registration, absentee ballot, or more?

Call your local Clerk. We are happy to help! Or visit, michigan.gov/vote to check the status of your registration, absentee ballot, and more.

HOUSING & HOMELESSNESS TASK FORCE

CITY COMMISSION AND GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS UPDATE

At their June 22, 2026 joint meeting with Grand Traverse County, the City Commission received an update on the Housing and Homelessness Task Force’s Strategic Vision, a community-wide effort led by the Northwest Michigan Coalition to End Homelessness to develop a coordinated approach to preventing and ending homelessness in Grand Traverse County. The strategic vision is the result of more than 15 months of work, more than 50 meetings, and participation from over 100 community stakeholders.

The plan identifies homelessness as fundamentally a housing issue and recommends investments in both immediate crisis response and long-term housing solutions. Key findings include a need for approximately 30 additional emergency shelter beds and 178 additional permanent supportive housing units to address current needs and advance the goal of ending chronic homelessness.

The Strategic Vision outlines eight recommendations focused on prevention, outreach, emergency shelter, affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, and supportive zoning and land-use policies.

• Strengthen Navigation and Outreach: Expand housing navigation, street outreach, mental health access, and coordination among service providers to help people access housing and services more quickly.
• Invest in Prevention and Stabilization: Focus on preventing homelessness before it occurs through diversion services, crisis assistance, utility support, and housing stabilization programs.
• Maintain Year-Round Shelter and Plan for a 24/7 Model: Continue year-round shelter operations while evaluating a coordinated shelter system with approximately 165 beds to meet community needs.
• Create a Sustainable Shelter Funding Plan: Develop a long-term funding strategy for emergency shelter and day services to reduce reliance on one-time grants and annual funding requests.
• Adopt Consistent Service Standards: Establish shared expectations, performance measures, and accountability standards across shelter and service providers to improve outcomes and coordination.
• Increase Deeply Affordable Housing: Use financing tools, incentives, public land, and other strategies to create more housing affordable to households with the lowest incomes.
• Expand Permanent Supportive Housing: Preserve existing supportive housing and develop additional units paired with services for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness and complex needs.
• Advance Housing-Supportive Zoning and Land Use Policies: Promote policies such as increased density, ADU incentives, parking reforms, streamlined permitting, and other land-use changes that support affordable housing development.

The document serves as a roadmap for future discussions and implementation planning by local governments, service providers, and community partners. 

Next Steps

The next phase of work should focus on moving from strategic vision to implementation planning. Immediate next steps include validating shelter assumptions, refining the capital and operating budget for a coordinated shelter model, identifying the most feasible shelter location, developing a long-term shelter funding strategy, and creating service standards tied to public investment.

At the same time, partners will focus on housing solutions, including preserving existing permanent supportive housing, planning for approximately 178 additional supportive housing units, identifying sustainable funding sources for deeply affordable housing, and working with jurisdictions to support housing production.

PROJECT UPDATE

COMPLETE, ACTIVE, AND UPCOMING

Cass Street Crosswalk

Crosswalk improvements on the 100 block of Cass Street are now completed.

Elmwood Avenue

Roadway resurfacing and accessibility improvements are completed on S. Elmwood Avenue between Front and Eleventh Streets. The project included a mill-and-fill pavement treatment, ADA curb ramp upgrades, and improvements at the Medical Campus Drive intersection to enhance access and connectivity in the area.

Eleventh Street Culvert: Kids Creek Restoration Project Underway

The City is advancing the next phase of the Kids Creek Restoration Project with the replacement of the undersized Eleventh Street culvert between Elmwood Avenue and Division Street. Supported by a $550,000 grant secured by The Watershed Center, the project will improve water quality, restore aquatic habitat, reduce barriers to fish passage, and expand green infrastructure to support ongoing efforts to remove Kids Creek from Michigan's Impaired Waters List.

To accommodate construction, the 700 and 900 blocks of Eleventh Street between Elmwood Avenue and Division Street closed on June 24, 2026. Motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians are encouraged to follow posted detours. The project is anticipated to be substantially completed by October 1, 2026. This work continues a long-standing regional partnership focused on restoring the health and function of the Kids Creek watershed.

WATER SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT

WEEK OF JUNE 29

Michigan's 2017 Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) designates galvanized water services as lead service lines if they "are or ever were" connected to a lead gooseneck, requiring utilities to pay for replacing private water services from the curb stop to the building. Lead goosenecks, installed before the mid-1940s, are 3-foot lead pipes used between the brass connection to the water main and a galvanized pipe.

The City has since installed copper services and has no known fully lead service lines. Not all private galvanized lines need replacement; those originally connected to City-owned copper services don't require replacement. The water service line replacement project started in May 2026 and is anticipated to be completed by fall 2026.

Week of June 29 Locations

The week of June 29, 2026, work will be conducted on the 200 and 300 blocks of Birchwood. This work will cause lane closures and lane shifts. Additionally, the work will cause sidewalk closures.

PUBLIC BEACH

MONITORING & TESTING

The Environmental Health Division of the Grand Traverse County Health Department works closely with the City of Traverse City, Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, and the Traverse City State Park to ensure the health and safety of several public beaches in Grand Traverse County.

The Watershed Center administers grants from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality to sample surface water from swim areas of the beaches. The water samples are analyzed for E. coli, a relatively harmless organism that may indicate the possible presence of harmful pathogenic microorganisms.

The Beach Monitoring Dashboard is updated weekly on Thursdays. If any beaches report a "Level 2" or higher, those specific beaches will then be resampled. Resample results will be available and published 24 hours later.

On Thursday, June 25, 2026, all beaches were classified as Level 1 and are considered safe for full-body contact.

WALK, BIKE, BUS

NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL BEGINS

The National Cherry Festival will celebrate its 100th anniversary and officially kick off on Saturday, July 4th. During the festival, we encourage those wanting to enjoy the festival to walk, bike or bus! These alternative modes of transportation not only contribute to a more enjoyable and less stressful festival experience, but also supports more eco-friendly options.

BATA Bayline

Hop on BATA's Bayline route for free and easy transportation during National Cherry Festival. BATA's Bayline offers continuous transportation throughout the festival. Shuttles depart every 15 minutes from any stop location along the route. Bayline travels between Meijer/GT Commons/Munson & across from the Open Space/Cherry Festival from the west and through downtown Traverse City, Northwestern Michigan College, and East Bay Beach District to the east. 

Traffic Impacts

Motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists should be aware that there will be increased traffic during the National Cherry Festival, especially during the air shows featuring the Blue Angels. In addition, there are several street closures planned for special events such as parades, art fairs, and car shows.

ASE CERTIFIED MASTER MEDIUM-HEAVY TRUCK TECHNICIAN
CONGRATULATIONS SCOTT BROOKS

The City is proud to congratulate Garage Supervisor Scott Brooks on earning the designation of ASE Certified Master Medium-Heavy Truck Technician through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).

Achieving Master Technician status requires certification in multiple advanced subject areas, including diesel engines, brakes, suspension and steering, electrical and electronic systems, HVAC, drivetrain components, and preventive maintenance inspections. ASE-certified technicians must also retest every five years to maintain their credentials.

Scott’s extensive technical knowledge, dedication to his profession, and commitment to excellence help ensure the City's fleet remains safe, reliable, and ready to serve the community. His expertise supports more than 400 fleet units, including fire trucks, plow trucks, police vehicles, and other specialized equipment used to serve the community.

Congratulations, Scott, on this outstanding professional achievement and thank you for your continued service to the City of Traverse City!