Michigan Absentee Voter Guide

Military and overseas voters should check out the Overseas Vote Foundation.  Long Distance Voter's forms and deadlines should only be used by voters with US mailing addresses.

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First-time voters who register by mail must vote in person the first time they vote. This restriction does not apply to overseas voters, voters who are handicapped or voters who are 60 years of age or older.  You can get around this restriction by requesting your absentee ballot in person from your County Clerk.

Mail-in Deadlines

General Election: November 4, 2008

Voter Registration 

To register to vote in Michigan you must:

• be a citizen of the United States
• be 18 years old by the next election
• be a resident of Michigan and at least a 30 day resident of your city or township by election day
• not be confined in a jail after being convicted and sentenced

How to register to vote: 

Recommended: Use our Voter Registration Widget.  Enter your information, print and sign the completed form, and mail it to the address printed on the form.  For faster processing, you can mail the form directly to your County Clerk. 

You can also download and fill out Michigan's voter registration form.  Mail the completed form to your County Clerk. 

Michigan law requires that the same address be used for voter registration and driver license purposes. Therefore, if the residence address you provide on your voter registration form differs from the address shown on a driver license or personal identification card issued by the State of Michigan, the Secretary of State will automatically change your driver license or personal identification card address to match the residence address entered on this form. If an address change is made, the Secretary of State will mail you an address update sticker for your driver license or personal identification card.

ID requirements for first-time voters:

You must include your Michigan driver's license number or your Michigan state ID card number on your voter registration form.  If you don't have either of these numbers, you'll need to include a copy of your ID.  If you forget, you'll need to provide ID the first time you vote in person or by absentee ballot.  Acceptable forms of ID include: a COPY of a current and valid photo ID that shows your name and Michigan address OR a copy of a paycheck, utility bill, bank statement or government document that shows your name and address.

Voter registration verification:

You should receive written confirmation that your voter registration was processed in 2-3 weeks.  Don't panic if you never receive your voter registration card: you don't actually need it to vote.  If you not sure if your registration was processed - or if you simply can't remember if you're register to vote - you can use the voter registration verification tools here.

Voting by Absentee Ballot

You must be a registered voter in order to vote absentee.  In addition, you may only vote by absentee ballot if:

• you are 60 years old or older
• you are unable to vote without assistance at the polls
• you are expecting to be out of town on election day
• you are in jail awaiting arraignment or trial
• you are unable to attend the polls due to religious reasons
• you are appointed to work as an election inspector in a precinct outside of your precinct of residence.

First-time voters who register to vote by mail must vote in person the first time they vote.  This restriction does not apply to overseas voters, voters who are handicapped or voters who are 60 years of age or older.  You can get around this restriction by requesting your absentee ballot in person from your County Clerk.

How to apply for an absentee ballot:

Download and complete the Michigan Absentee Ballot Application  Mail, fax, or hand-deliver your completed application to your County Clerk.  Once your request is received by the local clerk, your signature on the request will be checked against your voter registration record before a ballot is issued. You must be a registered voter to receive an absentee ballot. Requests for absentee voter ballots are processed immediately. Absentee voter ballots may be issued to you at your home address or any address outside of your city or township of residence.

Your absentee ballot application msut be received by your clerk no later than 2 p.m. the Saturday before the election.

ID requirements for absentee voters:

You do not need to provide ID if you have already voted in person in Michigan at least once.  If you are a first-time voter, and you did not request your absentee ballot application in person from your County Clerk, you cannot vote by absentee ballot.

Emergency absentee ballots:

Requests for an emergency ballot must be submitted after the deadline for applying for a regular absentee ballot (2 p.m. the Saturday before the election) but before 4 p.m. on Election Day. Contact your County Clerk to obtain your emergency absentee ballot. You can request an emergency absentee ballot if you can't vote in person on Election Day if you have become physically disabled; OR a family death or illness requires you to leave your community for the entire time the polls are open on Election Day.

Emergency absentee ballots must be returned to the clerk's office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Absentee ballot directions:

Fill out your ballot, sign where indicated, put a stamp on it, and then mail your ballot back to your County Clerk.  The County Clerk must receive your absentee ballot by 8pm on Election Day.  Your ballot will not be counted unless your signature is on the return envelope and matches your signature on file. If you received assistance voting the ballot, then the signature of the person who helped you must also be on the return envelope. Only you, a family member or person residing in your household, a mail carrier, or election official is authorized to deliver your signed absentee voter ballot to your clerk's office.

State Contact Information