The township clerk is the clerk for the township board. Township clerks do not vote except in the case of a tie vote to fill a vacancy in a township office. The clerk is also a keeper of the township’s records, the clerk of all town meetings, and the ex officio clerk for the highway commissioner.
One of the important responsibilities of the township clerk is to keep minutes of all town meetings and township board meetings.
The township clerk serves as the local election official for the township in the consolidated election. The consolidated election is a regularly scheduled election which is held on the first Tuesday in April in odd-numbered years at which township officials are elected.
Another important role of the clerk is to give notice of meetings. The township clerk gives notice of the time and place of the annual town meeting by posting notices in three of the most public places in the township at least 10 days prior to the meeting and, if there is an English language newspaper published in the township, by at least one publication in that newspaper before the meeting. The notice sets forth the agenda as approved by the township board.
Notice of a special town meeting is given in the same manner and for the same length of time as the annual meeting. The township clerk also usually provides notice of regular and special township board meetings. The township clerk is the official custodian of all records, books and papers of the township and must duly file all certificates or oaths and other papers required by law to be filed in the clerk’s office. The clerk may administer oaths and take affidavits in all cases required by law to be administered or taken by township officers.
