Your guide to voting in the Nov. 5 general election in Michigan

The general election is right around the corner, and voters in Michigan have some important races to decide.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Before you head to your polling place, here are some things you need to know.

Am I registered?

Michigan residents 18 and older can check their voter registration status by visiting Michigan.gov/Vote or calling their city or township clerk.

The Michigan secretary of state encourages people who are not registered to register as early as possible before the election. You can register online, by mail, or in person at your local clerk’s office, and you can register to vote through Election Day. However, if you register after Oct. 22, you can only do so at your clerk’s office with proof of residency documents that list your name and address, which can be a driver’s license, utility bill, or lease agreement.

What’s on my ballot?

Items on the ballot include elections for the president, one U.S. Senate seat, all 13 Michigan U.S. House of Representatives seats, all 110 Michigan state House of Representatives seats, state board of education seats, university board seats, and two Michigan Supreme Court justices. There are no ballot proposals on the ballot in Michigan in November. 

To see a sample ballot from your city or township before you head to the polls, visit Michigan.gov/Vote.

Can I vote by mail?

Any registered voter in Michigan who can’t or doesn’t want to vote in person on Election Day can request an absentee ballot. To have an absentee ballot mailed to you, you can submit an application online, by mail or in person at your local clerk’s office. After you have filled out the ballot, you can return it by mail, deposit it in a secure drop box, or hand deliver it to your clerk’s office or early voting site. 

The secretary of state urges voters to request and submit their absentee ballots by Oct. 22. Voters who wish to vote absentee after Oct. 22 can still request a ballot online until 5 p.m. on Nov. 1, but they should return the completed ballot to a drop box or clerk’s office to avoid postal delays.

Your city or township clerk must receive your completed absentee ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day for your vote to be counted. If you vote using a mail-in absentee ballot and want to make sure it was received, you can track it online.

How do I vote early?

In-person early voting in the general election starts Oct. 26 and ends Nov. 3. 

Casting your ballot during the nine-day early voting period is similar to voting in person on Election Day: You’ll be checked in by a poll worker (you’ll need to bring a valid photo ID or sign an affidavit that says you don’t have photo identification) and given a ballot; once you’ve filled it out, you’ll insert it into a tabulator machine. Depending on your city or township, you might have only one assigned early voting location or you might have several different sites to choose from. To look up your early voting options, visit Michigan.gov/Vote.