How to track your ballot in Michigan

What to know before voting in the 2024 election

Whether you're going to vote early or you're waiting to cast your ballot on election day, here's what to know one week out from the 2024 presidential election.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Michigan offers absentee voting for all registered voters without a reason, making it even easier to cast your ballot in the presidential election.

If you're one of the more than 2 million voters who requested an absentee ballot for the 2024 election, checking to make sure it arrived at your clerk's office is important to ensure your vote counts.

Here's what to know about absentee voting the week before the election:

Tracking absentee ballots

A state website allows voters to see when they requested their ballot, when their clerk issued the ballot, and when the clerk received the completed ballot.

Track your ballot here.

Voters can also contact their clerk's office to check if their ballot was received.

An example of what ballot tracking looks like on the states website

Requesting an absentee ballot

Visit your clerk's office to request an absentee ballot. While there, you can fill out the ballot and submit it.

Voters also had the option to request absentee ballots online, but the state recommends requesting them in person within two weeks of the election to avoid mail delays.

Returning absentee ballots

Voters who still plan to vote absentee have until 8 p.m. on election day to submit their ballot.

There are several options for returning an absentee ballot. Voters can mail them to their clerk, bring them to their clerk's office, put them in a drop box, or take them to an early voting site. Since the election is only a week away, mailing a ballot is not recommended, as it may not arrive in time.

Returning ballots to the clerk

Ballots can be mailed or hand-delivered to the clerk's office.

Find your clerk's office here.

Returning ballots to an early voting site

Early voting in Michigan opened on the second Saturday before election day and takes place for at least nine consecutive days. It ends Nov. 3.

Some communities, such as Detroit, may elect to have their early voting sites open for longer. Municipalities can opt to have early voting available for up to 29 days.

Voters can bring their completed absentee ballot to their early voting location and place it into a tabulator, just like they would on election day.

Find your early voting site.

Returning ballots to a drop box

Drop boxes are available 24 hours a day up until 8 p.m. Nov. 5.

Find a drop box near you here.

Spoiling absentee ballots in Michigan

An absentee ballot that has not been submitted to a clerk can be spoiled at your clerk's office until 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4.

Voters also have the option to spoil their unsubmitted absentee ballots at an early voting site ahead of the election or their polling place on election day. Bring your ballot with you when you go to vote and let the poll workers know that you would like to spoil the ballot and vote in person.

Voters who have not submitted their absentee ballot but do not have it to return will be required to sign a statement confirming that the ballot was lost or destroyed.