If you want to vote from home, we recommend that you request your absentee ballot no later than October 15 to give yourself enough time to receive your ballot, complete it, and return it to your city or township clerk by the deadline.

All voters who wish to vote by absentee ballot must apply for a ballot, unless they have signed up for the permanent mail ballot list. You can apply for your ballot in one of three ways:

With a Michigan driver’s license or state ID.

Within 2 weeks of the election, we recommend visiting city/township clerk to request a ballot in person.

OR

In person at your city or township clerk’s office.

OR

By mail.

Within 2 weeks of the election, we recommend visiting city/township clerk to request a ballot in person.

Voters who want to receive an absentee ballot by mail for every election in their community can check a box on their absentee ballot application to join the Permanent Absentee Ballot list. Voters on this list will no longer have to apply for a ballot for every election.

After you receive and fill out your ballot, you must return your ballot in one of the following ways:

• Through the mail,
• At a drop box provided by your city or township clerk,
• At your clerk’s office,
• Or by inserting the ballot into a tabulator at your early voting site or polling place after checking in with the poll workers.

Be sure to sign and date the envelope. Unless you are serving in the military or living overseas, your clerk needs to receive your ballot by 8 p.m. Election Day. If you are a military or overseas voter, your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day and received by your clerk within six days of the election to count.

Be sure to stay informed via your local clerk’s office of any voting changes in your community, such as additional drop boxes or satellite clerk’s office locations.

Note: Once ballots are available 40 days before Election Day, you can apply for an absentee ballot and vote that ballot in the same visit by visiting your city or township clerk’s office or satellite voting location.

Track your absentee ballot to make sure it was received.