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Absentee voting is available, and no excuse is required. We encourage voters to submit their applications as soon as possible. You can return your absentee ballot request form through the mail, in person at your local elections office, or online. Voted ballots must be received by 8:00 pm on Election Day in order to be counted. You can sign up to track your absentee ballot on your Department of State website. Absentee ballots begin being counted on Election Day.

Options to apply for an absentee ballot:

  • Online - must be registered to vote in Michigan and have a valid Michigan driver’s license or state ID
  • By Mail -  submit a completed absentee ballot application to your local clerk. Once the ballot application has been processed, the absentee ballot will be mailed to you beginning 40 days before the election.
  • In-person at your local clerk's office

Deadline: Online absentee applications may be submitted until 5 p.m. the Friday before Election Day. 

Options for returning an absentee ballot:

  • By mail (not recommended within 14 days of an election)
  • By dropbox
  • At an early voting site (up until the Sunday before Election Day)
  • At a a clerk's office 

Deadline: After receiving your absentee ballot, you have until 8pm on Election Day to complete and return the ballot.

Emergency Absentee Ballot:

If you have an emergency that prevents you from going to the polls you may request an emergency absentee ballot. Requests must be submitted after the deadline for regular absentee ballots has passed, but before 4pm on Election Day. The emergency must have occurred at a time in which it made it impossible to get to the polls.

Additional Information

Those who requested an absentee ballot but end up voting in person: Do not mail a ballot and vote in person. If a voter who has been issued an Absentee Voting ballot decides to vote at the polls, they should bring their ballot with them and surrender it. They will then be issued a new ballot that they can use to vote in the polling location. If the ballot was lost or destroyed, they should go to their polling place, fill out a form, and vote.

Overseas citizens and U.S. military personnel can find information on how to register to vote and request an absentee ballot at the Federal Voting Assistance Program

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