Last update: June 30, 2026. Three proposals could end automatic voter registration in Michigan....
Quick answer: AAUW Bay City Branch and Michigan Women are hosting Find Your Lane, a free, nonpartisan voter workshop on Saturday, October 17, 2026, 10:00–11:00 a.m. at the Alice & Jack Wirt Public Library Community Room, 500 Center Ave., Bay City. You'll see a real Bay City ballot, walk through the two statewide proposals, and leave knowing which issues matter most to you and what you can do about them. Open to the public. Registration is encouraged so we can plan seating and materials. Get the details and sign up today!
Get the Details
Table of Contents
- Voter Workshop Logistics
- Why Come to This Event?
- Voter Workshop Agenda
- How to See Your Own Ballot Before You Come
- Who's Hosting
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sign up
Voter Workshop Logistics
- Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
- Time: 10:00–11:00 a.m., with optional Q&A until 11:15
- Location: Alice & Jack Wirt Public Library, Community Room, 500 Center Ave., Bay City, MI 48708
- Sponsor: Bay City Branch of AAUW
- Speaker: Krista Moon, Founder and Executive Director, Michigan Women
- Cost: Free and open to the public
Why Come to This Event?
We're hosting this free event to unpack what's on your ballot and talk about the issues that matter most here in Bay County.
Between the races, the ballot proposals, and the challenges our community faces, there's a lot to take in, and it can feel overwhelming. You don't have to follow all of it. That's where finding your lane comes in.
Finding your lane means identifying your core strengths, your passions, and the specific areas where you can be most consistent, effective, and fulfilled.
How does that affect your vote? Once you know what matters most to you, you can find candidates who align with your values, and after the election, work with them to make a difference on the issues you care about.
You do what you can do. I do what I can do. Add it all up, and every issue gets covered.
Agenda: How We'll Find Your Lane
In one hour, we'll go from everything on the ballot to the issues that are yours, starting with what's actually on it and ending with what you'll do about it.
10:00 | Welcome: No One Covers Every Lane
Why you don't need to know everything, and how this morning works.
10:05 | See the Whole Road: A Real Bay City Ballot
Before you pick a lane, you need to see the road. We'll do a live demo of the Michigan Voter Information Center and look up exactly what's on a Bay City ballot, from the governor's race down to local offices. Then we'll read through it together, including both statewide proposals.
10:25 | Find the Friction: What Matters in Bay County
We'll ask the room one question: What makes daily life in Bay County harder than it should be? Maybe it's the property tax bill, the wait to see a doctor, the cost of childcare, or the road you drive every day. We'll write your answers on the whiteboard, connect each one to the issue on the ballot and the office that decides it, and land on the five that matter most to this room.
10:30 | Pick Your Lane Table Discussion
Each of the five issues from the whiteboard gets its own table. You choose the one that hits closest to home and join the others who picked it, so every group is made up of people who care about the same thing. No assigned seats, and no wrong choice.
Every table has two ways to get the conversation started. Use whichever feels comfortable, or both.
Option 1: Try an AI assistant (we'll walk you through it). Tools like ChatGPT and Claude are free apps where you type a question in every day language and get a plain-English answer back in seconds. A "prompt" is just the question you type in. We've already written one for you. Scan the QR code on your table with your phone's camera, tap to copy the prompt, paste it into the AI app, and type your group's issue in the blank. In about a minute, you'll get a short, nonpartisan overview of what's happening on your issue in Michigan, who makes decisions about it, and a few questions to talk through. Think of it as a quick starting point, not the final word. Never used one before? That's fine. We'll show you how on the big screen before groups begin, and helpers will be on hand.
Option 2: Use the printed discussion guide. Every table also has a printed guide with questions that work for any issue. No phone, no apps. Your own experience is the expertise here, and that's often where the best conversations come from.
10:35 | Explore Your Lane
Your group talks through what's happening on your issue in Michigan, who makes decisions about it, and what regular people can do.
10:45 | Hear the Other Lanes
Each group's spokesperson shares three things in two minutes: why the issue matters in Bay County, what surprised the group, and one thing anyone can do about it this month. This is where it adds up: five issues, each one covered by people who care about it.
10:55 | Map Your Lane
Before you go, you'll fill out a short "My Lane" card to take home: where you feel the friction, what you're good at, where you already have a door open, and one thing you can do consistently. You'll leave with a deeper understanding of your top three issues, how you can make a difference, and which elected officials you need in your corner to make it happen.
11:00–11:15 | Open Q&A (Optional)
Stay and keep talking: bring questions about the ballot, the proposals, or anything from your group, including registration questions we didn't get to.
Before You Leave
- Stay in your lane, informed. Scan the QR code to get Michigan Women updates on just the issues you picked. No flood of emails, only what you care about.
- Grab the full 2026 voter guide. Every major issue on the Michigan ballot, explained in plain language.
- Take your "My Lane" card home. Put it somewhere you'll see it every day!
- [Optional] Pick up a Michigan Women t-shirt. $30, with proceeds supporting nonpartisan civic education.
How to See Your Own Ballot Before You Come
You can see your exact ballot today at the Michigan Voter Information Center (michigan.gov/vote).
- Enter your name, birth month and year, and ZIP code.
- Confirm you're registered and see your polling place.
- Click "Your ballot" to preview every race and proposal you'll vote on.
It takes about two minutes. If you'd rather do it together, that's exactly what we'll do at 10:05.
Good to know: Michigan has no-excuse absentee voting, at least nine days of early in-person voting before Election Day, and same-day registration at your local clerk's office with proof of residency. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Who's Hosting
Michigan Women is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civic education organization. We explain candidates, ballot proposals, and legislation in plain language so Michigan voters can decide for themselves. We never tell you how to vote. Learn more about Michigan Women
AAUW Bay City Branch has advanced equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research since 1934. The branch hosts two book discussion groups and public programs throughout the year. Membership is open to graduates with an associate degree or higher, with student affiliate and community memberships also available. To learn about joining, contact Susan Moss at garber1952@yahoo.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Find Your Lane workshop free?
Yes. It's free and open to the public.
Is this event partisan?
No. Michigan Women and AAUW are nonpartisan. We explain what's on the ballot and how things work, and we don't endorse candidates or tell anyone how to vote.
Do I need to register?
Walk-ins are welcome, but registering helps us plan seating and materials. It also lets you submit a question ahead of time.
Do I need to be registered to vote to attend?
No. Anyone is welcome, including people who aren't registered yet or aren't sure where they're registered. We'll show you how to check.
Do I need to be an AAUW member?
No. The workshop is open to everyone.
Should I bring anything?
A smartphone is helpful for scanning QR codes, but it isn't required. Printed materials will be available at every table.
What if I don't know much about politics?
You're exactly who this is for. No background needed.
Is the library accessible?
[Confirm with Wirt Library: accessible entrance, parking, and elevator details.]
What are the statewide proposals on Michigan's November 2026 ballot?
There are two. Proposal 1 asks whether to hold a constitutional convention to revise the Michigan Constitution. Proposal 2 would limit political contributions from regulated utilities and large state contractors.
How do I find out what's on my ballot in Michigan?
Go to michigan.gov/vote, enter your name, birth month and year, and ZIP code, and select "Your ballot."
