How to get a mail-in ballot for Michigan’s August 6 election
Want to vote in Michigan’s August primary but are out of town? Want to spend some time at home with your ballot? Or remember that Michigan is hot and humid in August and don’t want to leave your house?
The good news: You can instead vote by mail or in person at your local election official’s office.
In Michigan, you don’t need a reason to request a mail-in ballot. The state is one of 28 states with what’s called “no-reason absentee voting,” and it’s pretty much what it sounds like: You don’t need a specific reason to request a mail-in ballot.
Registered voters who have already completed an application for absentee ballots for the upcoming August 6 primary election should receive their ballots in the mail this week.
Here’s how you can cast your postal vote from home, on vacation, or in person at your voter’s office:
How do I request a mail-in ballot in Michigan?
The easiest way to get an absentee ballot in Michigan is to request one online through the Secretary of State’s office at mvic.sos.state.mi.us/AVApplication.
To fill out this form, you confirm your citizenship and authorize the Secretary of State’s office to send your digital signature (stored on your ID or driver’s license) to your city or town. Fill out your information, matching it exactly to your driver’s license. Then confirm your address and indicate which elections you want a ballot for—there’s an election in both August and November. Here you can confirm that you want to be on the “permanent voting list,” which means you’ll automatically receive an application for an absentee ballot every election. Confirm your address, add your personal contact information, and submit the form. The process takes as long as it takes you to find your driver’s license, plus maybe two minutes.
It’s best to do this at least 15 days before the election, so your local clerk has enough time to mail you your ballot and you have enough time to mail it back. Online applications can still be submitted until 5 p.m. on the Friday before the election, but that could be tight.
For the August 6 elections, postal voting materials will be available from June 27.
I do not want to request my ballot online.
There are other options, too. You can request a form by mail. Complete the application at michigan.gov/sos/elections/voting/voters in the language you prefer (options include Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Spanish, English, and English in Large Print, as well as an accessible electronic application). Mail it in by following the directions on the application, or bring it in person to the city, village, or township government office.
It is important that you give your applications enough time to arrive. They must be received by your clerk by 5 p.m. on the Friday before the election (August 2 for this upcoming primary). They can be returned by mail or in person, but the deadline is the same.
If you’re short on time or don’t want to use the mail, you can request your ballot in person at your clerk’s office. (If you’ve recently moved or aren’t otherwise registered, you can do this at the clerk’s office, too.) You can find your nearest clerk by entering your address at mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index/#yourclerk.
How do I fill out a mail-in ballot in Michigan?
Of course, it is up to you which candidates and issues you vote for. However, it is important that you meet certain requirements so that your vote is not invalidated.
Written instructions are included with your ballot. If you have any questions, contact your local clerk.
Then, place the ballot in the secrecy sleeve that came with your ballot, then in the return envelope. You will then need to sign and date the return envelope. Be sure to sign in the correct place, indicate your signature on file (though you may sign with a shortened version of your name as long as the signature resembles the original—the Secretary of State’s office specifically lists “Bill” instead of “William” as an acceptable substitute), and provide the correct date.
From there, you can drop it in the mailbox. It will be counted as long as it is postmarked by Election Day and received within six days of the election. You can also drop it off in person at the election official’s office or at a mailbox in your town if you prefer. You can look up these locations on the Secretary of State’s website.
More: “A whole new world”: 9 changes in Michigan elections
How can I be sure that my postal ballot will arrive on time?
Registered voters can track their ballots (you guessed it) through the Secretary of State’s website. Enter your information, and a box will appear in the top right of the screen that will tell you if your clerk has received your application or ballot.
This website also lists the locations of the mailboxes and their opening hours. You can also find your polling station there if you want to come in person.
When will my ballot be counted?
If you live in a town with a population of more than 5,000, your municipality may set up what’s called a mail-in ballot counting board. This group of poll workers processes ballots up to eight days before an election. (Smaller towns may do this starting the Monday before the election.)
Ballots that arrive within six days of Election Day but are still properly postmarked will be counted retroactively.
More: Early voting. Voting by mail. Voting on Election Day. How ballots are counted in Michigan
Is postal voting safe?
There are numerous systems in place to ensure that postal voting is just as secure as the traditional process.
For example, officials compare the signatures on the ballots with the signatures on file. The secrecy envelope helps keep your vote secret. Votes from people who die before election day will be rejected if the official can learn of their death.
Michigan also uses what’s called a Qualified Voter File, which keeps track of when a voter cast their ballot. It prevents officials from issuing more than one ballot and also alerts them when multiple ballots have been cast by the same person. If someone requests a second ballot after the first has been cast, the first is invalidated.
The Secretary of State’s office maintains a comprehensive website at michigan.gov/sos/elections/security that answers additional questions about election security.
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