Help! I’m not registered!
You may register to vote the day of or the day before Election Day. If you’ve never registered in Michigan before, provide a document showing proof of residency to your city or township clerk’s office before 8 pm on Election Day and register to vote with a document showing proof of residency. The document must include your current address and can be in electronic form. You may show:
- a Michigan driver’s license or state ID
- a current utility bill
- a bank statement
- a paycheck
- a government check
- another government document
If you’re registering to vote or updating your address by appearing at your clerk’s office on Election Day, you can request an absent voter ballot at the same time you register. If you request your absent voter ballot the day before the election or on Election Day, you must vote the ballot in the clerk’s office.
Where is my clerk’s office??
I’m worried that my absent voter ballot may not reach the clerk’s office by Election Day. Where should I drop it off??
Since Election Day is only a few days away, it’s a great idea to drop off your ballot rather than mail it. Find your clerk! Go to
Ballotpower.org or the
Michigan Secretary of State’s office website to locate your clerk’s office. The full list of ballot drop locations can be found
here.
***NOTE: VOTERS MUST ONLY USE THE DROP BOX IN THEIR JURISDICTION***
Absentee ballots must be returned to the clerk by 8:00 p.m.on Election Day!
What’s the latest I can submit my absent voter ballot?
You have until 8 pm on Election Day to complete the absent voter ballot and return it to the clerk’s office. Only you, a family member or person residing in your household, a mail carrier, or election official is authorized to deliver your signed absent voter ballot to your clerk’s office.
How do I know that the clerk has received my ballot?
I want to vote in person. Where do I go? Where is my polling place?
I’ve changed my mind and I’ve already submitted my absentee ballot. What can I do about it??
We suggest that first, you check BallotPower.org to be sure your absentee ballot was counted. You can “spoil” your absentee ballot by submitting a written request to their City or Township clerk. The voter must sign the request and state if they would like a new absentee ballot or if they will vote at the polls. For this Tuesday’s election, the only option is to go to the clerk’s office before 4 PM on Monday to obtain a new absentee ballot or vote at the polls. (Typically this request must be received by 2 p.m. the Saturday before the election if received by the clerk by mail.) IMPORTANT: There is no option on Election Day to spoil an absentee ballot that has been received by the Clerk. [Absentee ballot voting is explained in full here.]
DON’T FORGET! Your ballot will not be counted unless your signature is on the return envelope and matches your signature on file. If you received assistance voting the ballot, then the signature of the person who helped you must also be on the return envelope.
If you have other questions, check out the terrific Michigan Voter Information Center on the Michigan Secretary of State’s website.
Printable: 2020 Voting Tips
