Voting absentee in Michigan: How to vote by mail and what to know

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Voters receive their absentee ballots at City Hall in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Monday, Nov. 7, 2022. (Photo by Evan Cobb for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - The 2020 Election in Michigan was precedent-setting in many ways – but perhaps no more so than with the addition of absentee voting in the state for the first time. It coincided with the pandemic, enabling many people to vote from the safety of their homes while still making their vote count.

In 2018, Michigan voters approved Proposal 3, which allowed Michigan voters to request an absentee ballot to vote by mail. Roughly 3.3 million of Michigan’s 5.5 million votes came via mail in that election.

This year, many voters are expected to do the same. Michigan allows absentee ballots and gives you the chance to change your mind. Here’s what you need to know.

Does Michigan send ballots out to every voter?

No, Michigan does not send out a valid absentee ballot to every voter.

In 2020, Michigan sent out applications to all registered voters to vote by mail, should they choose to do so.

This was a letter in the mail to ask you if you wanted to vote by mail. It was not a ballot.

If you requested an absentee ballot, clerks will begin mailing them to Michigan voters 40 days before the election – Sept. 26.

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How to vote absentee (vote by mail) 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, download the application from the state’s website and mail it in, or going directly to your clerk’s office.

There are applications available in other languages, including Arabic, in 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.

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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.