(www.michigan.gov)

Before you can vote in any election, you must be registered. Once you have registered you may exercise your right to vote, either by appearing at the polls or obtaining an absent voter ballot. The procedures for registering to vote and participating in elections are explained in this brochure.

Citizen participation in the electoral process is critical to the health of our Democracy. Do your part: Register and vote!

To Register

To register to vote you must be . . .a U.S. citizen
at least 18 years of age by election day
a resident of Michigan and the city or township where you are applying to register to vote.


Where. You can register to vote for federal, state, and local elections by mail; at your county, city, or township clerk’s office; or by visiting any Secretary of State branch office. In addition, specified agencies providing services through the Family Independence Agency, the Department of Community Health, and the Department of Career Development offer voter registration services to their clients. Military recruitment centers also provide voter registration services.

You must register at least 30 days before the election. This gives the clerk time to process the forms and send you a Voter Identification Card.

Whenever you move to a new city or township, you must re-register to vote.

If you move within a city or township, you must update your address. This can be handled through your local clerk, at a Secretary of State branch office, or by mail. Michigan voters must use the same residential address for voter registration and driver license purposes. Consequently, if you submit a driver license address change, it will be applied to your voter registration. Similarly, if you submit a voter registration address change, it will be applied to your driver license.

A mail-in voter registration form (PDF file) can be obtained by contacting your county or local clerk’s office. If you register by mail, you must vote in person at your assigned precinct the first time you vote, unless you are:
disabled as defined by state law
60 years of age or older
temporarily residing overseas

If you are temporarily outside the U.S., you may use a Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) form to register. The FPCA forms are distributed through U.S. embassies and military bases. A Michigan resident who moves and registers out of state may not re-register to vote in Michigan until he or she reestablishes residency here.

You may also register at the same time you renew your driver license by mail. Eligible drivers receive a voter registration application in the mail with their driver license renewal information.

To Vote

To vote, simply appear at your assigned polling place on election day. The polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Where. All Voter Identification Cards list a precinct number; some provide the polling place location. If you do not receive a Voter Identification Card within three weeks after registering, contact your city or township clerk’s office to confirm your registration status.

Absent Voter Ballots

Absent voter ballots are available for all elections. You may vote by absent voter ballot if:
you are unable to attend the polls without assistance
you are 60 years of age or older
you expect to be absent from your city or township
for the entire time the polls are open on election day you are in jail, awaiting arraignment or trial
you have been assigned to work as a precinct inspector in a precinct other than where you are registered
you are unable to attend the polls because of religious beliefs

If any of these situations exist, you can obtain an absent voter ballot by writing your city or township clerk. You must state the reason why you need an absent voter ballot and you must sign the request. A pre-printed absent voter ballot application form is available from your city or township clerk upon request.

If you are temporarily outside the U.S., you can use a Federal Postcard Application to apply for an absent voter ballot. The FPCA must be signed under oath unless you, your spouse, or your parents are serving in the armed forces or Merchant Marines.

Send the completed application to your city or township clerk for federal, state, city, and township elections. Send the application to your school district for school elections and your village clerk for village elections.

If you want the ballot mailed, your application must be received by 2 p.m. the Saturday before the election. Make your request early to allow for delivery time.

A voter eligible to vote by absent voter ballot may also vote in person at the clerk’s office anytime up to 4 p.m. the day before the election.

All absent voter ballots must be received by the clerk’s office no later than 8 p.m. on election day.

A separate absent voter ballot request must be submitted for each election. If you know before the primary that you will be unable to vote in person at the general election, you may request absent voter ballots for both elections at the same time.

Emergency Absent Voter Ballots. You may be eligible for an emergency absent voter ballot if a family death or illness requires you to leave your community on election day, or you are unable to attend the polls because of personal illness or accident.

The emergency must have occurred late enough that you could not file a regular absent voter ballot request. Have someone deliver your written request for an emergency absent voter ballot to the clerk’s office before 4 p.m. on election day.

Emergency ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on election day.

Voting for the Disabled

Federal and state laws require every city and township to provide accessible registration and voting locations for voters who are disabled.

If you require special access, contact the clerk’s office ahead of time to make sure your voting site is free of obstruction.

If you require voting assistance, ask the election workers for help; a reason for the needed assistance does not have to be stated. Two inspectors will assist you in the voting station. An elector who is blind, disabled, or unable to read or write may be assisted with his or her ballot by any person of the voter’s choice, except the following: the voter’s employer or agent of that employer, or an officer or agent of a union to which the voter belongs.

For more information, contact your city or township clerk. Hearing-impaired residents may contact the Bureau of Elections at: (517) 485-5530 (TTY)