Election Day in Michigan isn't until Tuesday, Nov. 3 but hundreds of thousands of voters have already cast their ballots.
That's because Michigan offers absentee voting. And according to the Michigan Secretary of State's office, plenty of Michiganders are taking advantage. As of Oct. 13, more than two million registered voters in Michigan have requested an absentee ballot for the November election, with more than 440,000 voters having already returned theirs.
If you are one of the voters who received and returned an absentee ballot, you can track your ballot's status online to ensure it's been received by your local clerk and can be counted. Here's how:
How to track the status of your absentee ballot in Michigan
Voters in Michigan who've already filled out and submitted an absentee ballot can track its
status online to make sure their local clerk's office receives it before Election Day.
At the online Michigan Voter Information Center at michigan.gov/vote, voters can find a bevy of information, including the status of their absentee ballot. Once you've accessed the site, click on "Your voter information," enter in the relevant info and track if your local clerk has received your absentee ballot.
Turnout outpacing 2022 margins, so far
According to data released by the Secretary of State's office, turnout appears to be slightly ahead of the 2022 election, the most recent previous midterm cycle in Michigan.
At the same point in the 2022 cycle — three weeks before the election — 1.7 million voters had requested an absentee ballot, with around 433,000 voters having returned them. Around 4.5 million people voted in that election.
The more than 440,000 voters who've returned a ballot in the 2026 cycle represents 6% of the nearly 7.4 million active registered voters in Michigan, according to the Secretary of State's office.
How to request an absentee ballot
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. But closer to Election Day, voting advocates recommend requesting an absentee ballot in person at your local clerk's office to avoid potential mailing delays.
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.
If you're unsure where your local clerk's office is, that information can also be found at michigan.gov/vote.
Where can I return my absentee ballot?
Absentee ballots must be received by your local clerk's office by 8 p.m. Election Day, when polls close. (Military and overseas voters have six additional days for their local clerks to receive their absentee ballots but they must be postmarked on or before Election Day).
Absentee ballots can be mailed to your local clerk's office, hand-delivered to your local clerk or returned by placing them in a secure drop box. Drop box locations for your city, township or village can be found at michigan.gov/vote.
Within two weeks of Election Day, officials recommend returning absentee ballots in person to avoid any potential delays with the mail.
I requested an absentee ballot but changed my mind and want to vote in person. Can I do that?
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.
Voters can also bring in and 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.
You can reach Arpan Lobo at alobo@freepress.com
Looking for more on Michigan’s elections this year? Check out our voter guide, subscribe to our elections newsletter and always feel free to share your thoughts in a letter to the editor.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How to track your absentee ballot for Michigan's November election
