Voting

First Steps to Voting

To register to vote you must be …

• a U.S. citizen;
• at least 18 years of age by election day;

a resident of Michigan and the city or township where you are applying to register to vote.

Where

You can register to vote for federal, state, and local elections by mail; at your county, city, or township clerk's office; or by visiting any Secretary of State branch office. In addition, the following State agencies offer voter registration services to their clients: Department of Human Services, the Department of Community Health and the Department of Career Development. Military recruitment centers also provide voter registration services.

When

You must register at least 30 days before the election. This gives the clerk time to process the forms and send you a Voter Identification Card. You must also re-register to vote whenever you move to a new city or township.

How

Whenever you move to a new city or township, you must re-register to vote. If you move within a city or township, you must update your address. This can be handled through your local clerk, at a Secretary of State branch office, by mail, or at any other location where voter registrations are accepted. Michigan voters must use the same residential address for voter registration and driver's license purposes. Consequently, if you submit a driver's license address change, it will be applied to your voter registration. Similarly, if you submit a voter registration address change, it will be applied to your driver's license.

Voter Registration Application

First-time voter

If you have never voted in Michigan and register by mail, you must appear in person to vote in the first election in which you wish to participate. This requirement does not apply if (1) you personally hand deliver the mail registration form to your county, city or township clerk's office instead of mailing the form (2) you are 60 years of age or more (3) you are disabled or (4) you are eligible to vote under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. If you have never voted in Michigan and register by mail, you may also be subject to a new identification requirement provided under federal law. The identification requirement is explained on the mail-in registration form.

Please visit the Michigan Voter Information Center Homepage for requirements and guidelines for voting. This website will help you with the following:

• Determine if you are registered to vote
• Find your polling location
• Contact your local election official
• Learn to use your voting equipment
• Find answers to frequently asked questions

Voters should keep in mind that they will be required to present photo ID at the polls, such as a Michigan driver's license or identification card. Voters who do not have a Michigan driver's license or identification card can show the following forms of photo ID:

• Driver's license or personal identification card issued by another state
• Federal or state government-issued photo identification
• U.S. Passport
• Military identification card with photo
• Student identification with photo from a high school or an accredited institution of higher education, such as a college or university
• Tribal identification card with photo

Anyone who does not have an acceptable form of photo ID or is not carrying one can still vote.  They will sign a brief form stating that they're not in possession of a photo ID.  Their ballots will be included with all others and counted on Election Day.