Michigan voting guide from OUSC

Am I eligible to vote?

In order to register to vote in Michigan, you must be:

  • A U.S. citizen
  • 18 years old on or before election day
  • At least a 30 day resident of the Michigan city or township you are voting in.

How can I register to vote?

  • BY MAIL: You can mail your completed application to your local clerk’s office 15 days or more before an election. 
  • IN PERSON: You can register in person 15 days or more before election day by completing a voter registration application and turning it into your local clerk’s office.
  • IN PERSON: You can register in person 14 days or less before election day by turning in a completed voter registration application  AND presenting proof of Michigan residency (a driver’s license or state ID with your address on it) to your local clerk’s office.
  • IN PERSON: You can register in person on the day of an election by turning in a completed voter registration application to your local clerk’s office AND presenting proof of Michigan residency.
  • ONLINE: You can register online up to 15 days before the election. This is only available to those with a Michigan driver’s license or a valid Michigan state ID. You can register online here: www.mi.gov/vote 

What address do I use when registering to vote?

The address you use to register to vote will determine where your polling place is. You can register with your permanent address or your temporary on-campus address if you reside in on-campus housing. This can be changed by submitting another voter registration application.

How can I verify if I have been registered to vote?

You may already be registered to vote due to Michigan’s new automatic voter registration system. You can check if you have been registered to vote at www.mi.gov/vote by entering your information. Before you vote in person on election day, make sure you check to make sure your registration information is correct!

How can I find my polling place?

To find your polling place, visit www.mi.gov/vote and enter your information. When voting in person, make sure to bring a valid ID.

How can I vote absentee?

  • BY MAIL: You must complete an absentee ballot application and turn it into your city clerk no later than 5pm the Friday before election day. Alternatively, you can fill out an online absentee ballot application. Once you receive your absentee ballot, you must turn your absentee ballot into your city clerk by no later than 8pm on election day.
  • IN PERSON: If you register to vote in person at your city clerk’s office, you can fill out an absentee ballot up until 8pm on the day of the election.

Absentee ballot applications are available at www.mi.gov/vote 

When should I vote?

There are two upcoming elections for Michigan:

August 4, 2020 – State primary election

November 3, 2020 – State and Federal general election

There are many local elections throughout the year that concern you and your community, so keep an eye out for them!

Other Michigan voting FAQs

If you have other questions about voting in Michigan, check out the Michigan Secretary of State website here: www.miv.gov/sos 

I am not from Michigan, what do I do?

If you are not a resident of Michigan, you can go to www.vote.org to find the voter information from your state.

How can I stay up to date with the latest Michigan voting information?

Oakland University Student Congress is running the Pledge to Vote Campaign. Fill out the Google Form, tell us why voting matters, and we will keep you up to date on all election information, upcoming deadlines, 2020 Census info, and more. 

Pledge to Vote: https://forms.gle/AQuyCSSek22pDBDV8