• you are 60 years old or older
• you are unable to vote without assistance at the polls
• you are expecting to be out of town on election day
• you are in jail awaiting arraignment or trial
• you are unable to attend the polls due to religious reasons
• you are appointed to work as an election inspector in a precinct outside of your precinct of residence.

First-time voters who register to vote by mail must vote in person the first time they vote. This restriction does not apply to overseas voters, voters who are handicapped, or voters who are 60 years of age or older. You can get around this restriction by requesting your absentee ballot in person from your County Clerk.

How to apply for an absentee ballot:

Download and complete the Michigan Absentee Ballot Application Mail, fax, or hand-deliver your completed application to your County Clerk. Once your request is received by the local clerk, your signature on the request will be checked against your voter registration record before a ballot is issued. You must be a registered voter to receive an absentee ballot. Requests for absentee voter ballots are processed immediately. Absentee voter ballots may be issued to you at your home address or any address outside of your city or township of residence.

Your absentee ballot application must be received by your clerk no later than 2 p.m. the Saturday before the election.

ID requirements for absentee voters:

You do not need to provide ID if you have already voted in person in Michigan at least once. If you are a first-time voter, and you did not request your absentee ballot application in person from your County Clerk, you cannot vote by absentee ballot.

Emergency absentee ballots:

Requests for an emergency ballot must be submitted after the deadline for applying for a regular absentee ballot (2 p.m. the Saturday before the election) but before 4 p.m. on Election Day. Contact your County Clerk to obtain your emergency absentee ballot. You can request an emergency absentee ballot if you can’t vote in person on Election Day if you have become physically disabled; OR a family death or illness requires you to leave your community for the entire time the polls are open on Election Day.

Emergency absentee ballots must be returned to the clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Absentee ballot directions:

Fill out your ballot, sign where indicated, put a stamp on it, and then mail your ballot back to your County Clerk. The County Clerk must receive your absentee ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Your ballot will not be counted unless your signature is on the return envelope and matches your signature on file. If you received assistance voting the ballot, then the signature of the person who helped you must also be on the return envelope. Only you, a family member or person residing in your household, a mail carrier, or election official is authorized to deliver your signed absentee voter ballot to your clerk’s office.

Additional Information