Michigan

The basics

REGISTER to vote before October 21 with the last 4 digits of your social security number.

VOTE in person early or on election day with a photo ID.

  • At college in another state
    • Register online before October 21 with your Michigan address (you probably already registered when you got your Michigan ID)
    • Vote by mail, submit application by October 21
  • At college in Michigan
    • If you are far from home precinct, register online to change to your college address
    • Vote in person early or on election day with a photo ID
    • (You can also keep your home address registration and travel to your precinct to vote, or vote by mail)
  • October 21
    • deadline to register without proof of residency
    • you may register afterward and on election day with proof of residency
    • deadline to request mail ballot (you should already be registered)
  • November 5
    • Election Day

Michigan is a non-strict voter ID state. To vote, you can use a Michigan ID, whether or not it is expired, and you can use a passport, university ID or ID from other state only if it is unexpired.

You can REGISTER with the last four digits of your social security number.

You can VOTE with photo ID, including a college ID

Forms of acceptable ID you can use here: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Home/VoteInPerson#id-required

Register by October 21

Most campuses will have some kind of voter registration events.

The form is here: https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/Elections/Election-Forms/Voter-Registration-Form-English.pdf

Fill it out and mail or deliver it to your local township or county clerk. 

Look up your clerk location here: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index/#yourclerk

Register online at https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/registervoter

You can still register after October 21, up until and on election day but then must present proof of residency.

Visit your local clerk’s office to present any of the following documents in paper or electronic format:

  • Any document issued by a Michigan high school, college, or university, including:
    • A webpage on your university student portal displaying your name and on-campus address (ex: Wolverine Access, StuInfo, Academica, CentralLink, Go WMU)
    • Financial aid documents
    • University registration forms
  • Bank statement
  • Utility bill (including gas, electric, internet, lease, or rental)
  • Michigan license or ID

Vote

From Michigan Derpartment of state: https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting/early-in-person-voting

Voters should remember to bring an acceptable form of photo identification to an early voting site or to the polls on Election Day. However, a photo ID is not required to cast a ballot. Voters without a photo ID, or voters who forgot to bring their photo ID, can still vote after signing an Affidavit of Voter Not in Possession of Picture Identification.

Look up your early voting site https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index#early-voting-search-section

Voters should remember to bring an acceptable form to the polls on Election Day. However, a photo ID is not required to cast a ballot. Voters without a photo ID, or voters who forgot to bring their photo ID, can still vote after signing an Affidavit of Voter Not in Possession of Picture Identification.

Look up your voting site https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index#early-voting-search-section

If you have a Michigan ID you can request an absentee ballot online here: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/AVApplication/Index 

(The deadline to apply is 5pm the Friday before the election, but you need time for it to be sent out and for you to send it back. I recommend October 21 as your deadline)

You can apply for an absentee ballot to vote by mail for any reason. Fill out, sign, and return this form.

https://www.michigan.gov/sos/-/media/Project/Websites/sos/Elections/Election-Forms/Absent-Voter-Ballot-Application-Fillable.pdf

You can mail it, or scan/photograph and email it to your county clerk, or deliver it in person. Instructions are on the form.

Ballots will be mailed out when they are ready.

When you receive the ballot, vote and mail it back.

The signature on your returned ballot will be compared with the signature from your registration record.