Absentee ballots are available in Michigan for the November election

Michigan voters can now obtain absentee ballots for the Tuesday, Nov. 3 election.

State law directs clerks to make absentee ballots available at least 40 days before an election, so voters hoping to obtain

and cast an absentee ballot ahead of Election Day can now do so. Voting absentee in Michigan elections is straightforward and provides numerous options for casting a ballot. Here's a quick guide on requesting and returning an absentee ballot:

Who can request an absentee ballot in Michigan?

In Michigan, all registered voters have the option to vote absentee. To register to vote in Michigan, you must be:

Not currently serving a jail or prison sentence
A U.S. citizen
A Michigan resident for at least 30 days by the time you vote
At least 17.5 years old, and be 18 by Election Day

If you're unsure if you're already registered to vote, you can check your registration status by visiting the Michigan Voter Information Center at michigan.gov/vote.

Great, I'm eligible! How do I register to vote in Michigan?

Once you've sorted out your eligibility, there are multiple ways to register to vote.

Register in-person at your local clerk's office by obtaining and returning a voter registration application. Along with the application, you must provide proof of residency if applying within 14 days of an election. This can be a valid Michigan ID, utility bills, credit card or banking statements, other government documents and more. Within 14 days of an election, registration has to take place in person at a local clerk's office. For the November election, registration must take place in-person beginning Tuesday, Oct. 20.

You can register to vote at your local clerk's office up until polls close on Election Day, although it's smart to leave yourself some time to make it to your polling precinct if you're registering to vote on Election Day itself, or to just submit an absentee ballot at your local clerk's office.

Register online by visiting michigan.gov/vote. You can register to vote online up to 15 days before the election. For the November election, the final day to register to vote online is Monday, Oct. 19.

Register through the mail by printing off an application online at michigan.gov/vote, picking up an application at your local clerk's office, or by requesting your local clerk mail you an application. Voter registration applications sent through the mail must be postmarked at least 15 days before the election.

Elections volunteers count absentee elections ballots for the Michigan Primary election at Livonia City Hall in Livonia on Tuesday, March 10, 2020.

How to request an absentee ballot in Michigan

If you would like to request an absentee ballot, there are multiple ways to do so in Michigan.

Absentee ballots can be requested online at michigan.gov/vote by filling out the online application and having your absentee ballot mailed to you. The online form must be submitted before 5 p.m. on the Friday ahead of Election Day. For the November election, that's Friday, Oct. 30.

You also can print out the application online and return the completed form to your local clerk's office. If you're unsure where your local clerk's office is, that can also be found at michigan.gov/vote.

Registered voters can also call their clerk's office and request an absentee ballot be mailed to them.

You can also visit your local clerk's office and request an absentee ballot in person up until 4 p.m. the day before an election. For the November election, that's Monday, Nov. 2.

How to return an absentee ballot

Absentee ballots must be received by your local clerk's office by 8 p.m. Election Day, when polls close. (There are exceptions for military and overseas voters, whose ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by their local clerk no longer than six days after the election in order to be counted.)

Absentee ballots can be mailed to your local clerk's office, hand-delivered to your local clerk or returned by placing it in a secure drop box. Drop box locations for your city, township or village can be found at michigan.gov/vote.

Election officials note returning an absentee ballot by mail is secure. Within two weeks of Election Day, officials recommend returning absentee ballots in person to avoid any potential delays with the mail.

Voters in Michigan also have the option to bring their completed absentee ballot to an early voting location and placing it into a tabulator there.

Early in-person voting in Michigan runs from Saturday, Oct. 24 through Sunday, Nov. 1, although some communities may choose to hold more days. To find early voting locations and hours in your community, visit michigan.gov/vote.

What if I change my mind on voting absentee?

If you have received your absentee ballot but have not yet submitted it, the ballot can be spoiled at your local clerk's office up until 4 p.m. on the Monday before Election Day. For the November election, that's Monday, Nov. 2.

Voters can also surrender their absentee ballots in person at their polling place on Election Day or an early voting site. If you've lost your ballot, or have not yet received it by Election Day, you can sign a statement at your polling place stating that the ballot was lost or destroyed and vote at the polls. An election worker will call the local clerk to verify that your absentee ballot has not been returned.

If I submitted my absentee ballot, can I still change my vote?

For voters that want to change their ballot for any reason, they can spoil already submitted absentee ballots by submitting a written request to their local clerk's office. The request has to be signed and state whether the voter wants a new ballot mailed to him or her or if he or she will pick it up from the clerk's office in person.

A request to spoil an absentee ballot that has already been returned must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the second Friday before Election Day. For the November election, that's Friday, Oct. 23.

Voters who cast their ballot at an early voting site or their polling location cannot spoil their ballot.

What's on the ballot in Michigan?

Voters in Michigan will decide several notable races this November, including:

A nationally watched U.S. Senate race. Democrat Abdul El-Sayed is facing Republican Mike Rogers for an open seat in the Senate after Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, opted to not seek another term.
A race to decide a new governor. Democrat and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is facing Republican U.S. Rep. John James. Incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited and cannot seek reelection.
A new attorney general. Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit, a Democrat, faces Eaton County prosecutor Doug Lloyd, a Republican.
A new secretary of state. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II is the Democratic nominee, while Macomb County Clerk Anthony Forlini is the Republican nominee.
All 13 of Michigan's seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for election. Competitive races include contests in Michigan's 4th, 7th and 10th Congressional districts.
All 110 seats in the Michigan House of Representatives and all 38 seats in the Michigan Senate are on the ballot.
Two seats on the Michigan Supreme Court are up for election.
Voters will also decide on Proposal 1, a proposal asking voters if a state constitutional convention should take place. Michigan's current constitution, in place since 1963, requires voters to decide if it should be rewritten every 16 years. So far, voters have rejected rewriting it in 1978, 1994 and 2010.
Proposal 2 asks voters if utility companies, corporations with more than $250,000 in annual state contracts and the executives that work for them should be banned from making political contributions in Michigan.
Other local races will also be on the ballot. To see what's on the ballot in your community, visit michigan.gov/vote.