(NEWSCHANNEL 3) - The 2008 elections are fast approaching, and there are a number of voters who have concerns about the voting process.

Newschannel 3 has received a number of questions from folks, and to try to answer them, we went to speak to the clerks running the elections.

There are rules prohibiting campaigning within 100 feet of your polling place, and that includes political t-shirts and buttons.

About absentee ballots, Kalamazoo City Clerk Tim Snow says that absentee ballots remain sealed until election day and are verified in the weeks leading up to the election, with signatures on application forms matched against signatures on envelopes and subjected to a series of other matching and verification measures.

"We know who has applied," Snow said, "we keep track of when it was received, when it was mailed out, when it was returned."

Absentee ballots are counted with all the other ballots after the polls close on election day, they are run through the same tabulators, and counted just the same.

One question that many have asked is about ID's at polling places.

Kalamazoo City Clerk Scott Borling told Newschannel 3 that "the poll workers are required to ask you for a photo ID."

Borling says there is an exception, if you don't have an ID, you can sign an affidavit and vote on the same type of ballot as everyone else.

"For the people that really don't have an ID," Borling said, "don't let that keep you from the polls, but if you do have an ID, bring it, it will save a little bit of time."

And while there are challengers at the polls, an ID is not an issue up for challenging your vote.

"The cannot challenge anyone for not having an ID," Borling said, "right in the law, cannot be challenged."

The only ballots that could go uncounted on election night are ones where an individuals residence is in question, their name doesn't appear on the voting rolls, or they over vote and the ballot isn't corrected.