As of November, 2018 all eligible and registered voters in the state of Michigan can request and receive an absentee ballot without providing a reason. Absentee voting allows those who otherwise would not be able to visit a polling location to exercise their democratic right to vote in an election, such as senior citizens, those with physical impairments, and college students who are away from home on election day.

​

In order to receive an absentee ballot you must apply for one. You can find a variety of absentee ballot applications at the Michigan Secretary of State's website. Once you have the application filled out you must return it to your local clerk no later than 8 pm the Friday before the election. Be sure to sign the absentee ballot application, as your signature will be checked against the clerk's voter registration database before an absentee ballot will be issued to you. If you're unsure of where your local clerk is located, click here. For more information about absentee ballot voting, visit Michigan's Secretary of State website.