LANSING, Mich. — The general election in November is less than 40 days away and that means that absentee ballots are now available for voters in Michigan.
You can request an absentee ballot online, by mail or at a clerk's office. Absentee ballots became available for the November general election beginning on Thursday, Sept. 26.
Absentee ballots can be cast by mail, by drop box, at an early voting site or at a clerk's office.
Request an absentee ballot online
You can request an absentee ballot online here.
Deadline: The deadline to request an absentee ballot online is 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1.
While the deadline is just a few days before Election Day, it is recommended that you request your absentee ballot at least 15 days before Election Day to have time to receive and return your ballot.
When requesting an absentee ballot online, you must provide the following information:
- Full name
- Michigan driver's license or ID number or acknowledgment that the voter does not have a Michigan driver’s license or ID
- Date of birth
- Eye color
- Last four digits of the voter's Social Security number
- Mailing address
- An uploaded signature or authorization to use your stored digital signature on file with the Secretary of State
Request an absentee ballot by mail
You can print an absentee ballot application here. Once you fill out your absentee ballot application, you can mail it to your local clerk's office. You can find your local clerk's office here.
Deadline: Applications for absentee ballots must be received by your local clerk's office by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1.
While the deadline is just a few days before Election Day, it is recommended that you request your absentee ballot at least 15 days before Election Day to have time to receive and return your ballot.
When requesting an absentee ballot by mail, you must provide the following information:
- Full name
- Year of birth
- Address and mailing address
- Signature of record (as provided on driver’s license or ID or on a previous voter registration application)
Request an absentee ballot at your clerk's office
You can request an absentee ballot in person at your local clerk's office and fill it out at there or take it home to fill out later. You can find your local clerk's office here.
Deadline: Registered voters have until 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 4 to submit their application for an absentee ballot at a clerk's office.
When requesting an absentee ballot at your clerk's office, you must provide the following information:
- Full name
- Year of birth
- Address and mailing address
- Signature of record (as provided on driver’s license or ID or on a previous voter registration application)
Absentee ballot casting deadlines
If you plan on casting an absentee ballot, you should be aware of the following deadlines as listed on the Michigan Government's website:
- By Mail - Mailed absentee ballots must be received by a local clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots not received by this time will not be counted. Voters are encouraged to mail an absentee ballot at least two weeks before Election Day to avoid potential mailing delays. Military and overseas voter absentee ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and received within 6 days after the election.
- By Drop Box - Ballots must be inserted into a drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
- At An Early Voting Site - Voters may submit an absentee ballot at an early voting site up until the Sunday before Election Day.
- At A Clerk's Office - Absentee ballots must be received at a voter’s local clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
You can learn more about the absentee voting process, and where to find drop boxes here.
