Voting Guide 2024 Michigan
Michigan General Election
Election Day
Tuesday November 5
Registration Deadline
October 21 (online, postmarked)
October 22-November 5 (in person at local clerk)
Check Your Registration status.
Automatic Voter Registration
YES, when you complete a Michigan license or ID transaction with the Secretary of State, unless you opt-out.
Election Day Registration
YES, BUT if registering on election day (or any day less than 15 days prior to the election), you must register in person at the local clerk’s office. You cannot register to vote at the polling place. If you register at the clerk’s office, you also have the option of voting with an absentee ballot while there.
Youth Pre-Registration
YES. If you are between the ages of 16 and 17.5, you can now legally preregister to vote. If you preregister, you can participate in early in-person or absentee voting for an election, as long as you will be 18 on or before the date of that election. You can preregister the same way you register to vote.
How to Register to Vote
Download MI registration form.
Use Federal Registration Form.
Early Voting
YES. Early Voting in Michigan.
Early Voting Dates
October 26 - November 3
Early Voting Drop Boxes
YES, for absentee ballots.Find your local drop boxes here via the “Search for your city/township clerk” box. Note that the search screen does not mention drop boxes, but the results should bring up both the local clerk’s office and dropbox locations. If that doesn’t work, check your local clerk’s website or call them. If you use the “Search by county” screen, it will only show you the clerk’s office info.
Early Voting Locations
Absentee Ballot
NO EXCUSE NEEDED.
Absentee Ballot Request
Request online or via paper application.
Application Deadline: November 1 @ 5:00pm.
Paper applications can be downloaded here, you can request that one be mailed to you by calling your city or township clerk, or you can request one in person at your local city or township clerk.
REQUEST EARLY TO RETURN ON TIME
Absentee Ballot Return
Return Deadline: Election Day November 5 @ 8:00pm.*
Military & Overseas Voters
Absentee ballots from military and overseas voters must be postmarked by Election Day and received by your local clerk within 6 days of the election (November 11).
How to Vote Mail-In and Absentee Ballot
Absentee ballot envelopes will contain a ballot, a secrecy sleeve, and ballot marking instructions. Completed ballots should be inserted into the secrecy sleeve as instructed. Sign and date the return envelope in the provided space. More info.**
Sample Ballots
Election Day Vote In Person
Tuesday November 5, 7am-8pm
Election Day Polling Places
Look Up Polling Place or contact local clerk's office
Polling Place Electioneering
Buffer Zone: 100 ft. from the entrance to a building where a polling place is located.
Prohibited Activities: Influencing voters/soliciting votes/political persuasion; displaying election-related material.*** See, NCSL Electioneering Table.
Press Access to Polling Place
Polling locations are open to poll watchers, and media may film from the public area; Exit polling should take place at least 20 feet from building entrances and exits; this guidance comes from the Election Inspector’s Procedure Manual, which is binding instruction from the Secretary of State. See Media Access Overview: Michigan.
Poll Worker Info
Democracy MVP is the state of Michigan’s non-partisan poll worker recruitment program. Sign up here, and if a local clerk in your area is hiring, they may contact you with next steps including training and hiring as an election inspector.
Photo ID
NO … and YES. Voters are not required to possess a photo ID. If you do not possess a photo ID, you can sign an affidavit instead. However, if you do possess a photo ID, you are required to present it when you vote.***
Provisional Ballots
YES. See, Michigan Dept. of State for rules.****
Tracking
Voters can track the following: Registration Status, Polling Place and Early Voting Locations and Hours, View Sample Ballot, Track Absentee Ballot, and more.
Ballot Measures
Citizen initiatives and legislative referrals.
No ballot measures certified for upcoming 2024 general election.
College Students
To register to vote in Michigan, all voters must prove residency. College students may use their home or campus address. Note that when you change address on voter registration, it is automatically updated on driver’s license or ID. If you register to vote within two weeks of an election, you must provide proof you have lived in the state where you are registering for at least 30 days by Election Day.
People with Felony Convictions
Allowed to vote if not currently incarcerated and otherwise qualified.
Helpful Websites
Michigan Voter Info, Vote411 MI, Michigan Bureau of Elections Contact Info
Photo Credit: Pavol Svantner
Footnotes
* Qualifications to Register to Vote
Michigan resident, US citizen, at least 18 years old on election day (may register to vote beginning at age 17.5 years old), not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison.
** Returning Absentee Ballot
Mail: NOT RECOMMENDED within 14 days of election. Mail completed and signed absentee ballot to your local clerk’s office using the provided pre-paid envelope (no postage required).
Dropbox: Must be deposited in Drop Box by Election Day November 5 @ 8:00pm.
Polling Place on Election Day: EVERYWHERE EXCEPT DETROIT. Voters can bring their completed absentee ballot to their precinct to insert directly into a tabulator. A poll worker will need to verify you identity and address, will provide you a secrecy sleeve, and will then direct you to insert the ballot into the tabulator. In Detroit, this is not an option. Instead return your absentee ballot via mail or to a Drop Box, Early Voting Site, or Clerk’s Office.
Early Voting Site: Bring to early voting site and insert into tabulator. Same process as Polling Place.
Clerk’s Office: Not only can you return your absentee ballot to your clerk’s office, but you can also register to vote or update your voter info and then request and receive an absentee ballot to fill out on the spot. You will need to have required ID for registering (ID with an address) and voting (photo ID or sign affidavit if you do not have a photo ID).
*** Absentee Ballots – Additional Info
Michigan maintains a Permanent Mail Ballot List, any voter can sign up to be included.
If you requested an absentee ballot but decide to vote in person: Bring absentee ballot to the polls, let the poll worker you have a completed absentee ballot with you (and have not mailed one in) and would like to vote in person. They will help you (they may have you insert it into the tabulator). HOWEVER, this option is not available in the City of Detroit. If your absentee ballot was lost or destroyed, go to polling place, fill out the Application to Vote, and then vote a regular ballot.
Use their signature as shown on their driver’s license, state ID, or voter registration application.
Voters who make a mistake when filling out an absentee ballot must request a new ballot from their local clerk’s office for the error to be corrected. Mistakes may include: Signing in the wrong place; Listing the incorrect date; Signing with a different signature than what is on file with your local clerk; Accidentally marking a non-preferred vote on the ballot.
**** Acceptable Photo IDs
Acceptable forms of photo ID include the following:
Driver’s license or state ID card issued by Michigan or another state
Federal, state, county or local government-issued photo ID
U.S. passport
Military photo ID card
Student photo ID card from an educational institution
Tribal photo ID card
Local or county issued government ID
Concealed Pistol license
***** Provisional Ballots
A provisional ballot may be issued to a voter at a polling place if:
Their name does not appear on the list at the polling place.
They are at the wrong polling location.
They are voting for the first time and are unable to provide a valid form of identification.
After casting a provisional ballot, a voter has 6 days to provide appropriate ID or other documentation to their city or township clerk.
******College Students
Although a few states still require an excuse to use a mail absentee ballot, all states include as one of their qualified excuses simply that you will be out of county or state on election day, which would apply to most college students residing away from home. Some states specify being a college student as one of the qualified excuses, as well. See, No-Excuse Absentee Voting States and Excuse Required Absentee Voting States.
Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community. Fair Elections Center – Michigan
Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes.
More info at Fair Elections Center and Fair Elections Center State Voting Guides. See Vote411, your home state or county election website, or another voter info site for your state’s rules.