Michigan/Voting

Michigan Voting

Eligibility requirements

To register to vote in Michigan, an individual must:

☑ Be a Michigan resident

☑ Be a United States citizen

☑ Be at least 17.5 years of age (and 18 by Election Day)

☑ Not be currently serving a sentence in jail or prison

Michigan voters are encouraged to register as early as possible before an election. Methods and requirements for voter registration depend on the following deadlines:

If there are 15+ days before an election, voters can register online, by mail, or in person.

Within 14 days of an election, and on Election Day, voters may only register by visiting their local clerk’s office to register in person with proof of residency documentation.

Voters can check their voter registration status and look up their local clerk information at Michigan.gov/Vote.

Proof of residency requirements

Proof of residency is official documentation (paper or digital) that lists a voter’s current name and address. When registering to vote within 14 days of an election, voters must present two forms of proof of residency in person at a local clerk’s office.

Proof of residency examples include:	Proof of residency DOES NOT include:
✓ Michigan driver’s license, state ID, or U.S. Passport ✓ A utility bill ✓ Insurance documents (health, car, home, etc.) ✓ A bank or credit card statement ✓ Financial aid or school enrollment documents ✓ A lease agreement ✓ A paycheck or other government check ✓ Other government document	✖ A package, parcel, or magazine received by mail ✖ A business card ✖ A club or membership card

ID Requirements

You do not need an ID to vote in Michigan. If you have a photo ID with you when you go to vote, you must show it. If you do not have a photo ID, or do not have one with you, you may sign an AFFIDAVIT OF VOTER NOT IN POSSESSION OF PICTURE IDENTIFICATION and vote a regular ballot that will be counted on Election Day.

Voting in Mail

Absentee voting is available and no excuse is required. We encourage voters to submit their applications as soon as possible. You can return your absentee ballot request form through the mail, in person at your local elections office, or online. Voted ballots must be received by 8:00 pm on Election Day in order to be counted. You can sign up to track your absentee ballot on your Department of State website. Absentee ballots begin being counted on Election Day.

Those who requested an absentee ballot but end up voting in person: Do not mail a ballot and vote in person. If a voter who has been issued an Absentee Voting ballot decides to vote at the polls, they should bring their ballot with them and surrender it. They will then be issued a new ballot that they can use to vote in the polling location. If the ballot was lost or destroyed, they should go to their polling place, fill out a form, and vote.

You may submit your application either in person or by mail to your City/Township Clerk's office.

After receiving your absentee ballot, you have until 8pm on Election Day to complete and return the ballot to your clerk's office.

Emergency Absentee Ballot:

If you have an emergency that prevents you from going to the polls you may request an emergency absentee ballot. Requests must be submitted after the deadline for regular absentee ballots has passed, but before 4pm on Election Day. The emergency must have occurred at a time in which it made it impossible to get to the polls.

Overseas citizens and U.S. military personnel can find information on how to register to vote and request an absentee ballot at the Federal Voting Assistance Program

Early Voting

Beginning 40 days before the Election you can vote early in person or apply for an absentee ballot at your City/Township Clerk's office. You can apply for the absentee ballot and vote that ballot during the same visit! Early voting continues until 4pm the day before the Election.

If you prefer, you can bring your ballot home to vote; just be sure to return the ballot by 8:00 pm on Election Day. However, a voter who visits their clerk’s office to obtain an absentee ballot on the day before the election must vote in the office; the voter is not permitted to leave the office with the ballot.

City/Township Clerk offices must be open for at least 8 hours the weekend before the Election to allow for registration and voting by absentee ballot.

Voting in Person

Voters who have registered to vote on Election Day have the following options to cast a ballot:

• Request an absentee ballot at their clerk’s office immediately after registering to vote. The voter will be issued a ballot to complete and submit on the spot.
• Visit their assigned polling place to cast a ballot. Polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day.

So long as an eligible, unregistered resident is in line at their clerk’s office by 8 p.m., they may register to vote and cast an absentee ballot. Similarly, if a newly registered voter is in line to vote at a polling place by 8 p.m., they may cast a ballot.