2024 MICHIGAN VOTER GUIDE

1.Voter Registration

Deadline to Register – Mail or Online: October 21, 2024

In-person registration: Election Day

2. Check Your Registration

Why check your registration? Your address is where election officials send notices, application forms to receive your ballot in the mail, and more. Additionally, poll workers will check if the address on your voter registration matches the address on your ID at the polls.

Check Your Registration Online

Update Your Registration Online

Checklist:

Is your name spelled correctly? (Correct hyphenations, middle initials, etc)
Correct Address
Active Voter Status (if not update by sending in another online/mail voter application)
Correct Date of Birth
Correct Political Party Preference
Take a time-stamped photograph or screenshot of your registration, and take it with you to the polls as proof of your registration.

3. Voter ID Law

Source: Ballotpedia

Michigan requires voters to present photo identification (ID) while voting. Accepted forms of ID include a Michigan driver’s license, Michigan personal identification card, and U.S. passport. For a list of all accepted forms of ID, see below.

Voters can obtain a state identification card at a secretary of state branch office for $10. Voters over the age of 65, voters who are blind, and voters whose driving privileges have been terminated due to a physical or mental disability can obtain an identification card for free. Additionally, voters who can present a reason for having the fee waived may also obtain an ID for free. Visit the Michigan secretary of state’s page or call (888) SOS-MICH (767-6424) for more information.

A voter who does not have an acceptable form of identification can cast a ballot by signing an affidavit.

Michigan’s voter ID requirements are outlined in MCL 168.523. The law states, “each registered elector offering to vote must identify himself or herself by presenting identification for election purposes.” To view the full text of the law, click here.

Forms of Accepted IDs

Michigan requires voters to present photo identification while voting. The following list of accepted ID was current as of July 2023. Click here for the Michigan Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.^[2]

Michigan driver’s license
Michigan personal identification card
Current driver’s license or personal ID card issued by another state
Current operator’s or chauffeur’s license
Current federal, state, or local government-issued photo ID
Current U.S. passport
Current military identification card with photo
Current student identification with photo from an educational institution
Current tribal identification card with photo.

A voter who does not have an acceptable form of identification can cast a ballot by signing an affidavit.^[1]

Provisional ballot rules

Voters in Michigan are given provisional ballots, or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, under the following circumstances.^[3]

(1) If the voter’s name does not appear on the list at the polling place, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.^[4]

(2) If the voter is at the wrong polling location, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.

(3) If the voter is voting for the first time and is unable to provide a valid form of identification, the voter has the right to cast a provisional ballot.

Was your provisional ballot counted?

“If election officials can verify that a voter is registered to vote in the appropriate jurisdiction, the provisional ballot will count,” according to the Michigan Department of State Bureau of Elections.^[3]

A provisional ballot is rejected if the voter is not registered to vote or failed to provide proper identification and proof of residency.^[5]

Voters have until six calendar days after the election to provide appropriate identification documentation to the city or township clerk. There are two different types of required documentation.^[3]

Documents that satisfy federal voter identification requirements imposed on first-time mail registrants who have never previously voted in Michigan are:^[3]

A copy of any current and valid picture identification
A copy of a paycheck, government check, utility bill, bank statement or a government document which lists your name and address

Documents that satisfy Michigan voter identification requirements imposed on all voters must be presented in person at the city or township clerk’s office. Those documents are:^[3]

A Michigan Driver License
A Michigan Personal Identification Card
Driver’s license or personal identification card issued by another state
Federal or state-government issued picture identification
U.S. passport
Military identification card with a picture
Student identification with a picture from a high school of an accredited institution of higher education
Tribal identification with a picture

4. Order Your Absentee Mail Ballot

Deadline for Absentee Mail Ballot application: Must be received by 5:00 pm on November 1, 2024

We recommend requesting your absentee mail ballot as soon as possible and well in advance of this deadline in order to ensure that you receive your ballot in time.

Request Mail-in Ballot

Mail Ballots may be mailed or delivered by hand to your local clerk’s office on or before Election Day. Find Your Local Clerk: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index/#yourclerk

Track Mail-in Ballot

Deadline to return Absentee Mail Ballot: must be Received before 8:00 pm on November 5, 2024

Surrendering Your Advance Mail Ballot: Michigan has a surrender law. It also is a same-day registration state. Both are pro-voter.

As Jen Ben Dor, a former election official and executive director of the Michigan Election Reform Alliance explained: “Michigan Election Law allows a voter to surrender the AV [absentee voter] ballot at the polling place and vote in person, or to come to the polls and sign an affidavit that the AV ballot never arrived, was damaged in the mail, eaten by the dog, etc. This is no big deal. The election workers can see that the voter was sent an AV ballot in both the printed precinct list and the e-pollbook list.

“A person who registers to vote at the Clerk’s office on Election Day must vote in person at the polls unless disabled, or some emergency occurs, in which case an emergency AV ballot will be delivered to the hospital room by a sworn assistant. I have actually done this when a voter has had a car accident, baby, heart attack.”

5. Early Voting Information

Early voting dates and times vary by community. The early voting period for the state begins on October 26. Early voting site locations, dates, and hours will be made available 60 days prior to Election Day at gov/Vote.
Officials will make at least one location available in each city and township. In addition, the clerk has the authority to provide for in-person absentee voting at satellite locations. Find your local clerk here: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index/#yourclerk
Michigan does have a voter identification requirement at the polls. Voters are asked to present an acceptable photo ID such as a Michigan driver’s license or identification card. Please note that voters who do not have an acceptable form of ID or failed to bring it with them to the polls still can vote. They simply sign a brief affidavit stating that they’re not in possession of a photo ID. Their ballots are included with all others and counted on Election Day.
For more information regarding federal, state and local elections contact your state election official online: https://www.michigan.gov/sos or call the bureau of Elections to set up an appointment 517.335.3234.

6. Become a Poll Worker!

Become a poll worker!
Poll workers must be 16 years old or over, and a registered voter (if over 18) in their county
Contact your county election office: https://www.michigan.gov/sos

7. Additional Questions?

https://www.michigan.gov/sos