Michigan Election Laws

Important dates for voters:

In Michigan, you can register up until and on Election Day with proof of residency. The deadline to request an absentee ballot in person at your city or township clerk’s office is November 4 at 4pm. Ballots must be returned by 8pm on Election Day. Early voting in person is available through November 3 in communities across the state. You can find your early voting site at mi.gov/vote.

Who can vote?

Students in Michigan can register to vote, as can people with felony charges, people who are on probation or parole, and people awaiting arraignment, trial, or sentencing (those currently serving a prison sentence are not eligible to vote). See the video for more details on how people in unconventional circumstances can register and vote. On Election Day, you can vote at your assigned polling place between 7am - 8pm. If you are in line to vote before 8pm, your polling place must stay open until everyone in line has voted.

Each county has a Board of County Canvassers who are in charge of completing that county’s canvass and certification process.

These boards review each precinct’s poll book and statement of voters for completeness and accuracy, records the votes cast, and then transmits the outcome to the Board of State Canvassers, which certifies statewide and federal election results. By law, the duty to certify is clerical, ministerial, and non-discretionary. The canvass must be completed and the results must be certified within 14 days of Election Day.

Michigan is a hotspot for disinformation and voter intimidation. Convey these key messages to voters:

Michigan has safe and secure elections, and poll workers are trained to address any issue that may come up. Additionally, Election Day is not results night — the canvas and certification process, as detailed above, takes time.

If you or a voter have questions or encounter difficulties while trying to vote, call 866-OUR-VOTE.