Detail of a official mail in ballot envelope reading "Official Election Mail Authorized by the U.S. Postal Service", San Ramon, California, November 3, 2020. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
(FOX 2) - Thanks to absentee voting, Michigan voters can start casting their ballots for the 2024 election now.
Clerks began sending absentee ballots to those who requested them last Thursday. Though the first ballots started going out then, some may take more time to arrive.
The state makes it easy to track your ballot, both when it's on the way to you and when it's headed back to the clerk.
Here's what to know:
Tracking when an absentee ballot is sent
A Michigan Secretary of State website shows when you applied for an absentee ballot, as well as when it was mailed to you.
Voters can also contact their clerk's office with questions about their absentee ballot status.
See when your ballot was sent here.
How to request an absentee ballot
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.
Deadlines for requesting an absentee ballot
Depending on the method you use for requesting an absentee ballot, there are different deadlines.
Requesting a ballot online
Online absentee ballot applications may be submitted until 5 p.m. the Friday before Election Day. That would be Nov. 1.
However, to ensure there is enough time to receive and return an absentee ballot, plan on submitting the absentee ballot application online at least 15 days before Election Day – Oct. 21.
Requesting a ballot by mail
Completed applications may be mailed, placed in an official drop box, or dropped off at the clerk's office.
Mailed applications must be received by the clerk’s office by 5 p.m. the Friday before Election Day.
To ensure there is enough time to receive and return an absentee ballot, plan on mailing the absentee ballot application by Oct. 21.
Requesting a ballot in person
Voters also have the option of requesting an absentee ballot in person at their clerk's office.
If you are registered to vote at your current address, you have until 4 p.m. the day before Election Day to submit an application in person at your clerk's office.
If you are not currently registered to vote in Michigan, or have not updated your registration with a current address in Michigan, you have until 8 p.m. on Election Day to visit your local clerk’s office to register to vote or update their registration address and request an absentee ballot to complete and submit on site.
Find your clerk's office here.
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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