2024 Michigan Primary: Election guide before heading to the polls

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson talks election security

Jocelyn Benson stops by to talk answer some common election questions including who can vote, who can't and efforts to keep our voting secure.

(FOX 2) - The Michigan August Primary has finally arrived with a lot on the line this election season. Seats at every level of government are up for grabs in what is expected to be another significant year in politics in the U.S.

From Congress to the legislature, to county commissioners and sheriff, people will cast votes in their chosen party's primary in Michigan on Tuesday. The only seat that voters won't be casting a ballot in this primary is for president.

While the process will look mostly the same, there are a few key differences between voting in a primary and in the general election - which is in November.

Below is FOX 2's guide to the race, including registering to vote, how to vote, where to vote, and how to take a look at one's ballot before heading to the polls.

What time do polls open?

The primary is set for Tuesday, Aug. 6th.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. As long as someone is in line at their polling location before 8 p.m., they can still cast a ballot.

Am I registered to vote?

Before heading to the polls, the first thing any voter needs to do is register.

While voters can register to vote up to 8 p.m. on election day, the Michigan Secretary of State has more options available to those who plan ahead. Anyone registering within 14 days of election day will need to do so at their local clerk's office.

To be eligible to register to vote, one must be a resident of Michigan in their city or township at least 30 days before Election Day, a U.S. citizen, not currently serving a sentence in jail, and be 18 years old by Election Day.

If you have moved since last registering to vote, they'll need to update their registration.

If someone plans on voting within 14 days of the election, they'll need to head to their local clerk, bring proof of residency, and use a document like a driver's license or utility bill that shows as much.

Where do I vote?

You will vote at your polling place, which is determined by your city or township clerk.

If you don't know where your polling place is, the Michigan Secretary of State's website has a great resource for helping you find out. To do that, head to this link, and fill out the necessary information.

From there, it will tell you the address of your polling location, your drop box locations, as well as the status of your absentee ballot - if you decided to mail it into the clerk's office ahead of time.

What's on my Michigan Primary ballot?

Curious to see what's on your ballot before heading to the polls? The easiest way to do that is to head to the Secretary of State's website. There, someone can see a sample ballot by selecting the jurisdiction they live in.

You can fill that out here.

A preview of the ballot will tell you who is running for which seat, categorized first by party and then by the race.

Can I vote split ticket?

Voting on a split ticket means casting a vote for candidates of both parties.

In Michigan, voters can only cast a vote for one party. This goes for both the presidential primary in February and the statewide primary in August. If a voter does cast a vote for more than one party, their ballot will not be counted.

However, voters can split their ballot during the general election.

They are also afforded the option of filling in a straight-ticket vote, which means if someone wants to only vote Democrat or only wants to vote Republican, they can fill out the option at the top of the ballot.

When the ballot is inserted into the tabulator and the straight ticket option is filled in, then the vote will be recorded as for every partisan race.

Can I change my vote?

If a voter has sent their absentee ballot in but wishes to change their vote - for any reason - they can spoil their ballot by submitting a written request to their clerk.

From there, a voter must sign the request and state they would like a new absentee ballot mailed to them. The request must be received by 5 p.m. on the second Friday before the election if the absentee ballot has been returned to the clerk.

If the absentee ballot has not been returned to the clerk, a voter can spoil the ballot in person up to 4 p.m. on the Monday before the election.

If the voter has not returned his or her ballot, the voter can surrender their ballot and sign a statement saying it was lost or destroyed. From there, the voter can vote in person at an early voting site or on election day.

If you need to find information on how to contact your clerk, you can do so by filling out this form on the state's website here.