Who Can Vote Absentee in Michigan? Not Much of Anyone

Michigan is one of a handful of U.S. states that don’t allow early voting without cause, which means the vast majority of residents will head to the polls on Nov. 8 to cast their votes in the presidential and other key races.

The state is considered backward, even by conservative politicians’ measures. Last year, Republican state representative Lisa Posthumus Lyons, the chair of the House Elections Committee, proposed “no-excuse” legislation that would have allowed any registered voter to request an absentee ballot without citing a reason.
The proposed legislation was dead on arrival in the Republican-controlled Legislature, though, despite a plea by Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, a conservative Republican, who said the time-saving option would increase integrity on Election Day.

When he signed legislation eliminating straight ticket voting in Michigan — a law that put on hold when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a lower court ruling banning implementation of the law — Republican Gov. Rick Snyder called on legislators to ease restrictions on absentee voting and pass the no-reason absentee voting legislation.

So, as the law stands now, here’s what you need to know:

Ballots will be sent to county clerks on Sept. 24 for distribution to absentee, military and overseas voters. To qualify for an absentee ballot, a registered voter must be:

• Age 60 years old or older;
• Unable to vote without assistance at the polls;
• Expecting to be out of town on Election Day;
• In jail awaiting arraignment or trial;
• Unable to go to the polls because of religious reasons; or
• Appointed to work as an election inspector in a precinct outside of your precinct of residence.

Requests for absentee ballots must be submitted in writing to the city or township clerk (find the address here). The request must include one of the six statutory reasons, plus the voter’s signature, and the voter must request an absent voter ballot by mailing the application, large print application, a letter, a postcard, or a pre-printed application form obtained from your local clerk's office.

To receive an absentee ballot, voters’ requests must be received by the clerk no later than 2 p.m. on Nov. 5. Absentee ballots are processed immediately, and may be issued to voters at their home addresses or any addresses outside the city or township of residence.

To reduce the potential for voter fraud, local clerks will match voters’ signatures on the request against the voter registration record before a ballot is issued.

Once the absentee ballot is received, it must be completed and returned to the clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8. The ballot will not be counted unless the voter’s signature is on the return envelope and matches the signature on file.

• Tell Us: Should the Michigan Legislature approve no-reason absentee voting?

If a voter requires assistance to complete the ballot, the signature of the person providing help must also be on the return envelope. Only the voter, a family member or person residing in a household, a mail carrier, or election official is authorized to deliver a voter’s signed absent voter ballot to the local clerk's office.

If an emergency, such as a sudden illness or family death, prevents voters from reaching the polls on Election Day, they may request an emergency absent voter ballot. Requests for an emergency ballot must be submitted after the deadline for regular absent voter ballots has passed but before 4 p.m. on Election Day. The emergency must have occurred at a time which made it impossible for the voter to apply for a regular absentee ballot.

City and township clerks have more information about emergency absent voter ballots.

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