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Make Sure You Are Registered
You can find out if you are registered to vote by visiting the Michigan Voter Information Center. To learn more about voter registration, read Registering to Vote.
Early Voting (Also Called Absentee Voting)
All Michigan voters can vote before Election Day. You can ask for a ballot online or print a form and mail it to your clerk. You can also call your clerk and ask them to mail an application for an absentee ballot or go to their office in person. Use the Michigan Voter Information Center’s Find Your Clerk page to find your local clerk’s contact information. If the election is less than two weeks away, the Michigan Department of State recommends going in person to your clerk to ask for a ballot.
Turn your ballot into the clerk’s office by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. The clerk will only count your ballot if the signature on the envelope looks like the one they have on file for you. It does not need to match exactly. The clerk is only supposed to reject the ballot if there are obvious, major differences. If they reject your ballot because the signatures don't match, they'll contact you to let you know and tell you how to fix it.
What if I Lost My Ballot or It Did Not Come in the Mail?
Contact your clerk to get another ballot if you lose it or never get it. You can ask for a new ballot in person at your clerk's office until 4:00 p.m.
Voting Rights for People with Criminal Records
In Michigan, voting rights are temporarily taken away from people currently serving a jail or prison sentence. This is the only restriction on voting in Michigan related to criminal records. After someone gets out of jail or prison, they are allowed to vote again.
People who have been involved in the criminal justice system can still vote if they:
- Are on probation or parole
- Are in jail waiting for trial or arraignment
- Have a criminal conviction but were not sentenced to jail or prison time
- Have a criminal conviction but have finished serving their jail or prison time
If you have been to jail or prison, use the Michigan Voter Information Center to confirm that you are registered and confirm that your address is correct.
Voter Registration for People Involved in the Criminal Justice System
If you're in jail waiting for trial or arraignment, you can register to vote. When registering from jail, use the address you had before going to jail. People serving time in jail or prison for a conviction can't register or vote while they're serving their jail or prison term. This is temporary and you can register to vote immediately after you are done serving the jail or prison term. You don't need to do anything special. Just register to vote using your current address.
The Permanent Absentee Voter List
When you fill out the form to vote early, you can ask to be on the permanent absentee voter list. If you do this, the clerk will automatically mail you a ballot before every election.
Emergency Absentee Voting
If you didn't ask for a ballot before the deadline but have an emergency that keeps you from voting on Election Day, you might be able to get an emergency ballot. An emergency could be something like getting sick or a death in the family. You can only get an emergency ballot if the emergency happens after the deadline to vote early.
You can ask for an emergency ballot between 5:00 p.m. the Friday before an election and 4:00 p.m. on Election Day. Contact your clerk if you need an emergency ballot.
Changing Your Vote Before Election Day
Voting before Election Day means that something could happen to make you change your mind. For example, a candidate you voted for could drop out, or you could learn new information that changes your mind.
To cancel and change your vote, you need to ask for a new ballot. This process is called “spoiling” your ballot. If you want to spoil your ballot, contact your clerk. You have until 5:00 p.m. two Fridays before the election to ask the clerk to spoil your ballot and give you a new one.
Voting in Person on Election Day
You can find your polling (voting) location on the Michigan Voter Information Center website.
If you have a photo ID from the government such as a driver’s license, passport, or military ID, bring it with you. If you do not have a photo ID, you can sign a simple form, called an affidavit, and vote. Polling places should have copies of this available on Election Day.
The polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. You have the right to vote if you are in line by 8:00 p.m.
Filling Out Your Ballot
You can see a sample ballot for upcoming elections using the What’s on the ballot? page of the Michigan Voter Information Center. You need to know your voting area (called a precinct) to see your sample ballot. Use the Voter Information page to find this information.
You can use the sample ballot to research candidates and issues. You can print it and write on it to help you remember your choices when you vote.
Michigan ballots will ask you to either darken an oval or fill the space between two arrows. Read the instructions on the ballot carefully. Turn the ballot over and look at the back to make sure that you fill out each section.
Campaigning at the Polls Is Not Allowed
You are not allowed to talk about candidates or political issues near places where people are voting on Election Day. If you are within 100 feet of a polling place, you can’t show or share anything about candidates or political issues. Election workers can ask you to cover political clothing or remove stickers and buttons.
What If You Have a Problem on Election Day?
If you have any problem with voting, call the non-partisan Election Protection Hotline at (866) OUR-VOTE [(866) 687-8683].
To learn more about voting, read Registering to Vote. For even more information about voting rights, visit MichiganVoting.org.