Voter Registration Information

To register to vote in an election, you must be:

A U.S. citizen;
At least 16.5 years old (you still will not be able to vote until you are 18);
A resident of Michigan and the city or township where you are applying to register to vote.

How

You can register to vote for federal, state and local elections by mail; at your county, city or township clerk’s office; or by visiting any Secretary of State office. In addition, agencies providing services through the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs offer voter registration services to their clients. Military recruitment centers also provide voter registration services. You may also register at the same time you renew your driver’s license by mail. Eligible drivers receive a voter registration application in the mail with their driver’s license renewal information.

Voter ID Requirement

If you are registering to vote in person, state law requires you to either show picture ID or sign an affidavit attesting that you are not in possession of picture ID.

When

Your registration will be in effect for the next election if postmarked or delivered no later than 15 days before election day and you have met all the qualifications to register to vote. After the 15-day deadline and on Election Day, you may register to vote by bringing your voter registration application form and residency verification to your clerk.

Change of Address

If you move, you must update your registration. This can be handled through your local clerk, at a Secretary of State office, online at ExpressSOS.com, by mail or at any other location where voter registrations are accepted. The residential address used for your voter registration must be the same as the address on your driver’s license. Consequently, when you submit a driver’s license address change, it will be applied to your voter registration. Similarly, when you submit a voter registration address change, it will be applied to your driver’s license.

First-Time Voter

If you have never voted in Michigan and register by mail, you must comply with the federal identification requirement. You must:

Accurately enter your state issued driver license number or personal ID card number where requested on the State of Michigan Voter Registration Application; or
Send one of the following forms of identification (such as a driver license or personal ID card) or a copy of a paycheck stub, utility bill, bank statement, or a government document which lists your name and address.

If you are subject to this requirement and do not provide the information identified above, an acceptable form of identification must be provided before you vote in the first election in which you wish to participate. The identification requirement does NOT apply if you:

Personally hand deliver this form to your county, city or township clerk's office instead of mailing the Michigan Voter Registration Application
Are disabled
Are eligible to vote under the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.

Voters in the Military and Outside the United States

A Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) form can be used to register. The FPCA form is available online at fvap.gov from the Federal Voting Assistance Program and is distributed through U.S. embassies and military bases. A Michigan resident who moves and registers out of state may not re-register to vote in Michigan until he or she re-establishes residency here.