Michigan absentee ballots headed to voters beginning Thursday

Absentee ballots on the way to Michigan voters

With 40 days to go until the election, absentee ballots are headed to Michigan voters who requested them. Voters have until 8 p.m. on election day to return them, but the sooner they are received, the better to avoid any delays.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Michigan voters will soon start casting their ballots in the 2024 election as absentee ballots make their way to those who requested them on Thursday.

Absentee voting allows Michiganders to cast their vote by mail. Ballots can also be returned in person to drop boxes, an early voting site, or your local clerk's office by 8 p.m. on Nov. 5 - election day.

Here's everything to know about voting absentee:

How to vote absentee in Michigan

Voting by mail requires you to request an absentee ballot.

You can do this by registering on the Michigan Secretary of State website, calling your city clerk and asking for an application to be mailed to you, downloading the application from the state’s website and mailing it in, or going directly to your clerk’s office.

There are applications available in other languages, including Arabic, Spanish, Bengali, and Farsi.

Michigan’s early voting options will soon open up as the state nears another election with major consequences for the outcome of the presidency and beyond.

How to request an absentee ballot for the November election in Michigan

If you choose to vote absentee, you’ll get a ballot envelope that contains a ballot, a secrecy sleeve, and ballot marking instructions.

When you get your ballot, mark your vote just like you would in person. Fill out every race as directed on your ballot.

Make sure you sign your ballot or it won’t count. Then mail it back to your clerk’s office by the deadline.

If you make a mistake – signing in the wrong place, listing the wrong date, signing with a signature that doesn’t match with your clerk’s office, or accidentally marking a non-preferred vote – you can request a replacement ballot from your local clerk’s office.

When should mail-in ballots be sent?

Your ballot needs to be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day. To ensure your vote is in AND counted, the state recommends you mail it in within two weeks of Election Day.

This year, that date would be Oct. 22.

However, if you want to wait, you can also turn in your ballot in person on Election Day by turning it into your clerk’s office or at a secure drop box.

Tracking absentee ballots in Michigan

The state website also allows voters to track the status of their ballot for anyone worried it did not arrive on time.

Michigan’s site does require you to submit your voter information to track this – doing so will confirm if your ballot was received on time or not.

How to change your vote in Michigan

Voting by mail does not lock you in – but you have to make sure you know the details of changing your vote. The state gives you the ability to change your mind on your ballot – like if a candidate dropped out or you want to change your vote for any reason.

This is referred to as ‘spoiling your ballot’ – and, new this year, must be done well in advance of Election Day.

The voter must sign the request and ask for a new ballot to be mailed to them. New this year, however, is that you cannot spoil your ballot up to Election Day.

Because Michigan is allowing early voting – which is different from absentee voting – and votes will be counted early, if you want to spoil your ballot, you have to do it by 5 p.m. on the second Friday before Election Day – Oct. 25.

If the ballot has been received and processed between that second Friday before the election and Election Day, you cannot change it.

However, if your ballot has NOT been received or processed by Election Day, you can still spoil your ballot until 4 p.m on the Monday before the election.

In other words, if you voted early and submitted more than two weeks before Election Day but have changed your mind, you can spoil your ballot.

Additionally, if you requested an absentee ballot, you can surrender it and vote in person on Election Day.

Other ways to vote

Aside from voting by mail, registered Michigan voters have to vote early at a voting site or cast their ballot on election day.

Voters will get a ballot, fill it out, and submit it into a tabulator at an early voting site.

Early voting is different from absentee voting. Absentee allows you to fill out your ballot in the comfort of your home or office and then mail it back. However, if you opt for an absentee ballot, you can take it to an early voting site and insert it directly into the tabulator, just as you would with a ballot on election day.

Early voting in Michigan opens on the second Saturday before Election Day. This year, that date is Oct. 26. Early voting takes place for at least nine consecutive days and must end on the Sunday before Election Day. This year, that is Nov. 3.

Communities can elect to do more election days, up to 29 days.

Find your early voting site here.