Absentee Voting

Absentee voting in Michigan is secure and adopts election security measures from national best practices. Michigan's absentee voting security measures include:
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       ● Records and procedures to prevent double or fraudulent voting.
       ● Official signature verification to confirm a ballot’s validity.
       ● Secure, locked drop box locations and video monitoring.
       ● Processing featuring bi-partisan election workers.
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All registered voters in Michigan have the right to vote by mail using an absentee ballot delivered to their home. A voter must submit an absentee ballot application to their local clerk before an absentee ballot can be sent (unless they are on the permanent absentee voter list). Absentee ballots are available and distributed beginning 40 days before the election.

Michigan voters can decide to be placed on a permanent absentee ballot list. Their local clerk will then automatically mail them an absentee ballot for all local, state, and federal elections.

Options to apply for an absentee ballot:
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       1. Request an absentee ballot online
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Voters can submit a completed absentee ballot application to their local clerk online. Once the ballot application has been processed, the absentee ballot will be mailed to the voter beginning 40 days before the election.

Deadline: Online applications may be submitted until 5 p.m. the Friday before Election Day. To ensure there is enough time to receive and return an absentee ballot, the Michigan Department of State recommends submitting the absentee ballot application online at least 15 days before Election Day.

Request an absentee ballot online

        2. Request an absentee ballot by mail
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Voters can request an absentee ballot by mailing a completed absentee ballot application to their localclerk. Ballot applications may be printed from the Michigan Department of State website or picked up at a local clerk's office. Applications mailed to a voter from their local clerk will include a pre-paid return envelope.

Deadline: Completed applications may be mailed, placed in an official drop box, or dropped off at the clerk's office. Mailed applications must be received by a voter’s local city or township clerk’s office by 5 p.m. the Friday before Election Day.

To ensure there is enough time to receive and return an absentee ballot, the Michigan Department of State recommends mailing the absentee ballot application at least 15 days before Election Day.

Print an absentee ballot application

Locate your local clerk's office
        
        3. Request an absentee ballot in person at a local clerk’s office (recommended within 14 days of Election Day)
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Voters can visit their local clerk’s office in person to request, complete, and submit their absentee ballot application on site. Voters requesting an application from their local clerk may also take it home with them to complete and submit later.

Deadline: Individuals registered to vote at their current address have until 4 p.m. the day before Election Day to submit an application in person at their local clerk’s office.

Eligible voters who are not currently registered to vote in Michigan, or who have not updated their registration with a current address in Michigan, have until 8 p.m. on Election Day to visit their local clerk’s office to register to vote or update their registration address and request an absentee ballot to complete and submit on site.

So long as an eligible resident is in line at their clerk’s office by 8 p.m., they may register to vote (or update their registration) and cast an absentee ballot.

Locate your local clerk's office ‍

Print an absentee ballot application

Learn more about voter registration

Voters can securely track the status of their absentee ballot application and ballot at Michigan.gov/Vote. Voters may also contact their local clerk’s office with questions about the receipt of their application.

Locate your local clerk's office

Track the status of your application

For information on military and overseas absentee voting, visit the military and overseas voting section.
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Early In-Person Voting

In November 2022, Michigan voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that gives voters the right to vote early and in person at early voting sites before statewide and federal elections. Communities may also choose to provide early voting for local elections.

Early voting allows a voter to cast a ballot before Election Day, in an experience similar to voting on Election Day.

During the early voting period, voters are issued a ballot and can then insert their ballot directly into a tabulator at their early voting site.

Any registered voter in Michigan has the right to vote early in person at an early voting site for statewide and federal elections in which they are eligible.

The following steps can help you make a plan to vote early:

        ● Make sure you are registered to vote, and that your voter registration address is up to date. Check your status or register online.
        ● Within 60 days of a statewide or federal election, lookup your early voting site information at Michigan.gov/Vote.
        ● Review a sample ballot online at Michigan.gov/Vote.
        ● Visit your early voting site during the early voting period to cast a ballot.

Just like voting on Election Day, there are multiple security reviews and checks and balances in the early voting process.

Thousands of Republican, Democratic and independent election clerks, staff and volunteers work together to ensure the early voting process is secure and accurate.

Strict security protocols are enforced to make sure Michigan’s elections system is among the strongest and most secure in the nation.

Learn more about election security in Michigan.
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Vote In-Person on Election Day

All registered voters in Michigan can vote at their polling place on Election Day.

Unregistered voters, or voters who have not updated their registration to their current address, must go to their local clerk’s office to register and may also vote at their clerk’s office using an absentee ballot.

Learn more about voting on Election Day:

        ● Voting at a polling place  
        ● Voter ID in Michigan  
        ● Voting at a clerk's office on Election Day  
        ● Emergency voting on Election Day  
        ● Challenged and provisional ballots  
        ● More voting options  

Before visiting a polling place: Voters should remember to do the following:

        ● Look up the location of their polling place to ensure it has not moved.
        ● Look up their registration status to ensure it is current.
        ● Bring their photo ID to the polls if they are in possession of one. Photo ID is not a requirement to vote in Michigan.