Clare County clerk’s office wins board approval to subscribe to TextMyGov; officials outline 9-day early voting plan

The Clare County Board approved a two-year subscription to TextMyGov to allow the clerk’s office to send informational texts, distribute QR-code links and add a widget to county web pages for public services and election information.

The contract approved by the board covers an initial two-year term with a first-year cost of $12,000 and $9,000 for the second year, to be paid from the Clerk/Registrar of Deeds (CPL) fund and the automation fund. The clerk told the board that the automation fund is a restricted technology fund dedicated to such expenditures and that the subscription should not require general fund support.

Clerk’s staff described features they expect to use: automated responses to frequently asked public records questions, a QR code that can be printed on outreach materials (for example at the county fair), an outbound-text capability that previously helped collect payments under the old court text system, and outreach to election inspectors and other staff. The clerk said the vendor will provide marketing support and that the office plans to place a widget on the county website within the vendor’s required time frame.

During discussion a commissioner asked about estimated labor savings; the clerk said she had no precise labor-savings calculation but estimated the system might cut roughly 10 phone calls per day as residents use automated text links. The board discussed whether additional optional services included in the vendor packet would be purchased; the clerk said she had negotiated a discount and expected the initial price covered the services described.

Separately, county election staff reported that all 18 participating jurisdictions had signed contracts to participate in a county-run nine days of early voting for state and federal elections. The clerk and other staff said the state appears likely to provide some funding for the nine-day early voting program, though the percentage of state funding had not yet been confirmed. County officials said their current plan is to offer the nine-day early voting only for state and federal elections (where it is required) and to educate the public on when and where early voting will be available for those elections; some larger counties are extending early voting to all elections but the county cited cost concerns for offering the service on non-state/federal ballots.

The board approved the subscription on roll call.