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Voting Absentee in Michigan
Michigan has absentee voting before Election Day for voters who can’t get to the polls, or who are over 60.
Who’s Eligible?
You’re eligible to vote absentee in Michigan if you
• Expect that you’ll be absent from the city where you are registered between 7:00 am and 8:00 pm on Election Day
• Are over sixty
• Are disabled and can’t get to the polls without help
• Have religious beliefs that prevent you from going to the polls
• Are working as a poll worker in a different precinct
• Are in jail awaiting arraignment or trial
How to Vote Absentee
1. Apply:
Download an application here, fill it out completely, and mail it or deliver it by hand to your city clerk. Find your clerk here. Get your application in with enough time for the clerk to mail you a ballot and for you to mail it back before Election Day.
2. Get a Ballot:
You can ask to have your ballot mailed to you, or you can pick one up in person at the city clerk’s office. Ballots will be mailed and available in person starting some time after September 22; check with your city clerk for when in your town.
3. Fill it Out:
Once you receive your ballot, follow the instructions to fill it out completely—don’t forget to vote for Barack Obama!
4. Return It:
Put your ballot in the envelope provided and seal and sign the envelope. Put on a stamp and mail it back to your city clerk, or drop it off in person. Your ballot has to be received by 8:00 pm on Election Day to be counted.
Special Rules for First-Time Voters
Are you voting for the first time in Michigan? Did you register by mailing a form in, or through a voter registration drive, like the campaign? (A voter registration drive is when someone else, who doesn’t work for the government, collected your form and turned it in for you.) If so, you can’t vote by mail your first time voting. Instead, you have to vote in person, either by requesting an absentee ballot in person or by going to the polls on Election Day.
(This rule does not apply to those over the age of 60)
If you’re a student, you can register at school and vote in person there, or you can register at a Branch Office of the Secretary of State and vote absentee by mail from home.
Not Eligible to Vote Absentee?
1. Tell a friend who is eligible to vote absentee!
2. Sign Up to Volunteer for Barack Obama
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