Michigan Voting
Information
How to Register to Vote in Michigan
To be eligible to register to vote in Michigan, you must:
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Have lived in a city or township in Michigan for at least 30 days (or will have by Election Day)
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Be a United States citizen
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Be at least 17.5 years of age (you must be 18 to vote)
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You may also preregister when you are between 16 and 16.5 years old and you meet the other requirements listed here. Your preregistration will automatically turn into a regular registration once you are 17.5 years old.
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Not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison
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Note: formerly incarcerated people CAN vote in Michigan. To double check, you can go here.
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There is no deadline to register to vote in Michigan
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Individuals who register to vote within 14 days of an election must appear in person at their city or township clerk’s office and provide proof of residency.
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Do I need a photo ID or proof of citizenship to register to vote?
No. But here’s what you do need to register to vote:
If you're registering to vote in person, you will be asked for a photo ID. If you don’t have one, you can sign a simple form (called an affidavit) and then register to vote. If you are registering to vote starting 14 days before Election Day, you will also need proof of residency. Proof of residency is a document that includes your name and current address. You can show a digital or paper copy of any of the following documents:
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MI Driver license or State ID
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Current utility bill
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Current Bank statement
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Current Paycheck
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Current Government check
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Other current official government documents
If you're registering to vote through the mail, and you have a Michigan driver’s license, Michigan state ID card, or social security number, enter those numbers on your voter registration application. If you don’t have any of those things, check the box that says “I don’t have a valid Michigan-issued driver’s license or Michigan-issued state ID card, or a Social Security number” located under the space for writing in numbers.
Michigan voter registration options:
You can register to vote in Michigan online, by mail, or in person:
*If it’s more than 14 days before Election, you can also register to vote in person at any of these places: any Secretary of State branch office, your city, township, or county clerk’s office, any state agency that provides public assistance or services to people with disabilities, any Armed Forces recruitment office, and a voter-registration drive.
How to Vote From Home Before Election Day
Vote From Home Using an Absentee Ballot
You can vote from home before Election Day using an absentee ballot. This is a ballot that is sent to you, then you complete it at home and return it by a certain date. Using an absentee ballot is a good option if you want to avoid lines at your polling place or early voting site, if you think you might be out of town on Election Day, or if you just want to take your time filling out your ballot.
Applying for an absentee ballot
You can apply for an absentee ballot online, by mail, or in person. You may also sign up to receive an absentee ballot automatically for each election, instead of having to submit a new application each time, by joining the Permanent Mail Ballot List. To join the Permanent Mail Ballot List, check the box on your absentee ballot application indicating you would like a ballot mailed to you before each election. We recommend that you submit your application for an absentee ballot at least three weeks before Election Day.
Online requests can be made until 5:00 p.m. the Friday before Election Day (though we recommend at least 3 weeks in advance of an election) and will require a valid Michigan driver license or state ID.
You can also download and print a paper absentee voter application online and then return it to your city or township clerk by mail or in person or by using a secure ballot drop box in your city or township. If you do not have internet access, you can also call your city or township clerk and request that the paper application be mailed to you.
Visiting your city or township clerk’s office in person is the best option if you are trying to request an absentee ballot very close to Election Day.
How do I request an absentee ballot if I have a disability?
Voters with print disabilities may apply for an accessible electronic absent voter ballot that can be completed electronically, printed, and returned to the city or township clerk. To apply online for an accessible electronic absent voter ballot, complete this form.
Vote your Absentee Ballot
After you submit your absentee ballot application, the clerk will mail you your absentee ballot. Or, if you have turned in your application in person at the clerk’s office, they may give you your ballot right there. If you’ve previously joined the permanent mail ballot list, one will be mailed to you automatically approximately 40 days before Election Day.
There are a few options to submit your completed absentee ballot:
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Send it by mail. Your ballot envelope will come with pre-paid postage, so you don’t need to add a stamp. We recommend mailing at least two weeks before Election Day to ensure your vote is counted.
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Drop it off at your city or township clerk's office or in a secure ballot drop box in your city or township.
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Have an immediate family member or a person from your household mail it or drop it off for you.
Alternatively, you can take your completed absentee ballot to your early voting site or, if you live anywhere other than Detroit, to your polling place on Election Day and put it into a tabulator. Just let the poll workers know that you’d like to do this when you arrive.
If you can't turn in your completed ballot using any of the above options, you can ask your city or township clerk to pick it up as long as your ballot is in the city or township where you are registered to vote and you call your clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day.
In most cases, your absentee ballot MUST be received by your city or township clerk by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day to be counted. However, absentee ballots from military and overseas voters can be counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received by the city or township clerk within six days after the election.
Your ballot will not be counted unless your signature is on the return envelope and matches your signature on file. If you received assistance voting the ballot, then the signature of the person who helped you must also be on the return envelope.
All registered voters can track their completed ballot by looking up their information here.
Can I change my vote after submitting my absentee ballot?
A voter can spoil their completed and submitted ballot by mailing a written request to their city or township clerk or visiting their clerk’s office in person.
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By mail: Request must be received by 5:00 p.m. the Friday before the election
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In person: Request must be received by 10:00 a.m. the Monday prior to the election
An absentee ballot that has not been returned to the clerk may be spoiled in person at the clerk’s office until 4:00 p.m. the Monday prior to the election. If a voter has not returned their ballot, they can surrender the ballot or sign a statement stating that the ballot was lost or destroyed and vote at the polls. There is no option on Election Day to spoil an absentee ballot that has been received by the clerk.
Absentee Voting Quick Links
How to Vote In Person Before Election Day
There are two ways to vote in person before Election Day: at an early voting site or at your city or township clerk’s office.
What is early voting?
Early voting is the opportunity to cast a ballot in person before Election Day. For voters, the early voting experience is similar to voting at a polling place on Election Day and includes the act of putting your completed ballot into a tabulator.
Where will early voting take place?
Early voting will take place at early voting sites. An early voting site operates similarly to an Election Day polling place but can be set up to serve voters from more than one city or township. This means that your early voting site may not be located in your community. Early voting sites can also serve more voters than an Election Day polling place can serve. Click here to find your early voting site.
When will early voting take place?
Early voting must be offered in all statewide and federal elections for eight hours each day starting two Saturdays before Election Day through the Sunday before Election Day, but some communities will have early voting in additional elections and for additional days and hours. To find out when early voting will be offered in your community, check your early voting site.
Voting at your city or township clerk’s office
If you vote at your city or township clerk’s office, you will use an absentee ballot and place it into an envelope to be tabulated later. Visit your city or township clerk’s office and ask for an absentee ballot application. Complete the application and give it to the staff. Fill out your ballot, place it in the envelope they give you, sign the outside of the envelope (the signature must match your signature on file), and return it to the staff.
How to Vote In Person On Election Day
You can vote in person on Election Day. Polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time, and you have the right to vote if you are in line by 8:00 p.m.
If you’re already registered to vote where you live, you must vote at your assigned polling place.
If you are not already registered to vote where you live, you must visit your city or township clerk’s office with proof of residency by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day to register to vote. After you register, you can vote by absentee ballot at your clerk’s office, or you can go to your polling place, if there’s time.
What if I’ve moved to a different city or township?
It’s best to update your voter registration as soon as you move. (if you update your Michigan driver's license or state ID, that will also update your voter registration.) But if you didn’t, you still have options.
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If you moved more than 60 days before Election Day, you must register at your new address and vote in your new city or township.
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If you moved between 60 and 30 days before Election Day, you can either vote in your old city or township one last time or you can register at your new address and vote in your new city or township.
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If you moved within 30 days of Election Day, you must vote in your old city or township, because you will not yet be eligible to register at your new address.
Additional Voter Information
Voting for College Students who live on campus
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College students can register to vote either at their home address OR school address, but not both. You can only register and vote in one location.
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If students decide to register at an address that is different from what is listed on their Michigan driver’s license or state ID, be aware that any change to a voter registration address will automatically update the state’s records for your driver’s license address as well. A sticker will be sent in the mail to update the address on your license
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New voter ID laws now permit the use of student identification cards with a photo from a high school or accredited institution of higher education to satisfy the identification requirement to vote in person. Click here for a complete list of accepted documents.
Military and Overseas Voter Information
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Federal Government passed the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) allowing US citizens who are on active duty or out of the country the ability to vote through absentee ballot
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Fill out the Voter Registration and Absentee Ballot Request Form via FVAP.gov or download it
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Recommended to submit it 90 days before the election
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Information for People Experiencing Houselessness
People experiencing houselessness or housing insecurity can still register to vote. There are a few recommended options for eligible voters without a permanent home address. You can:
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List a shelter address as your voting address on your voter registration form.
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Use a street corner or a park address on your voter registration form.
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The home of someone else who will accept your mail.
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Any other place where you usually stay.
Primary Election Key Dates & Deadlines
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Now: Request your absentee ballot online or submit a paper application. (If you want to vote from home, we recommend that you request your ballot no later than July 14 to give yourself enough time to receive your ballot, complete it, and return it to your city or township clerk by the deadline.)
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June 25: First day you can vote in person, with an absentee ballot, at your city or township clerk's office.
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July 6: First day that communities may offer in-person early voting at a designated early voting site. Contact your clerk or visit mi.gov/vote to find out when and where you can vote early in-person for the August 4 Primary Election.
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July 20: Last day to register to vote online or by mail to vote in the August 4 Primary Election. (Starting July 21, you'll need to register in person at your city or township clerk's office with proof of residency).
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July 21: For most voters*, this is the last day we recommend dropping your ballot in the mail. (Starting July 22, we recommend returning your ballot in person to your city or township clerk's office or satellite office, or in a secure drop box in your community.)
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July 25: First day of the statewide in-person early voting period. All communities must offer in-person early voting at a designated early voting site starting on this day. Contact your clerk or visit mi.gov/vote to find out when and where you can vote early in person for the August 4 Primary Election.
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August 2: Last day of statewide in-person early voting.
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August 3 at 4:00 p.m.: Deadline to vote in person, with an absentee ballot, at your city or township clerk's office if you're registered to vote where you live. (After 4:00 p.m. on August 3, you must vote at your polling place on Election Day)
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August 4: Election Day! Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. local time. If you need to register to vote, you can register and then vote at your city or township clerk's office until 8:00 p.m.
*If you’re serving in the military or living overseas, your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day (August 4) and received by Monday, August 10 to count.