Michigan Voting Guide: What you need to know

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Detroit residents vote at the Detroit Fire Department Engine 17 Ladder 7 firehouse on November 8, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. After months of candidates campaigning, Americans are voting in the midterm elections to decide close races across the nation

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SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Election Day is fast approaching – Nov. 5, 2024, in case you haven’t been paying attention – and in Michigan, absentee ballots are going out ahead of the historic vote.

The race for the White House is getting most of the most attention nationwide. Here in Michigan, we’ll also vote on a new U.S. senator as well as all 13 U.S. House members and the state’s legislature in Lansing.

How to register to vote in Michigan?

Registering to vote in Michigan is extremely simple. There are three different ways to register: online, by mail, or in person at your clerk’s office.

You can register to vote online up to two weeks before the election. That means you have until Monday, Oct 21 to register online or by mail.

The state of Michigan makes it simple to register to vote – just go to the Secretary of State’s website and fill out the information.

If you’ve moved recently, you should check that your address is correct so that you’ll be able to vote in person or receive your mailed ballot.

How to check your voter registration?

If you’re worried about your registration status, check it now.

To vote in Michigan you have to be a U.S. citizen, live in the state, and not currently be serving time in prison.

Pre-registering to vote is available to anyone who is at least 16 years old - though someone can only cast a ballot after turning 18. Six months after they turn 17, the state will automatically register them to vote.

If they are 18 years old by election day, they will be permitted to vote.

To register, someone must show proof of where they live, which can include either a driver's license or state ID, a current utility bill or bank statement, or a paycheck.

The application can be filled out online, at a Secretary of State branch office, at the clerk's office, or through the mail. Once the application is processed, the clerk's office will send a voter registration card.

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How to vote by mail in Michigan

Voting by mail – also known as absentee voting – requires you to request an absentee ballot. Michigan will not automatically send you 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.

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.

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.

Early voting in Michigan

New in 2024 is the ability to cast your vote early in Michigan.

Voters will get a ballot, fill it out, and submit it to a tabulator at an early voting site. It’s just like in-person voting on election day – you’ll go to an approved location to turn in the ballot.

When does early voting start in Michigan?

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.

How to vote in person in Michigan

To vote in person, you need to know where your precinct is and then make sure you’re at least in line by the time polls close.

You are not required to present your identification to vote. However, you will likely be asked for your identification. If you choose not to present it, you can sign an affidavit swearing that you are eligible to vote.

When do polls open and close in Michigan?

In Michigan, polls open at 7 a.m. local time and remain open until 8 p.m.

Polls in Michigan close at 8 p.m. local time.

For most of the state, that's 8 p.m. ET. However, there's the far west corner of the Upper Peninsula that's in central time – which means those polls will close at 8 p.m. CT, (9 p.m. ET).

What’s on my ballot in Michigan?

The 2024 general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5, and in Michigan we're not looking at any ballot initiatives like other states. Instead, the biggest races in Michigan will come down to the president and who represents the state in the United States House and Senate.

Every Michigander will vote for President and the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Debbie Stabenow. Beyond that, every precinct will have a different ballot.

You can preview your ballot now on the state of Michigan’s website.

Once you open the Secretary of State’s website, enter your legal name, birth month and year, and zip code. Then you’ll be presented with a sample ballot.