Register to Vote Register to Vote

Voter registration is a 5-step process in Michigan.

Note: Military and overseas civilian voters have additional options to register. Learn about military and overseas civilian voters.

Step 1: Verify you are eligible

To be eligible to register to vote you must be:

• A Michigan resident (at the time you register) and a resident of your city or township for at least 30 days (when you vote)
• A United States citizen
• At least 18 years of age (when you vote)
• Not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison

You can register when you are 17.5 years old or preregister when you are 16 years old, but you can’t vote until you’re 18.

Proof of residency if registering within two weeks of Election: If you register within 14 days of Election Day, you must show proof of where you live. Documents must have your name and current address. You can show a digital copy of documents. Acceptable documents include:

• Michigan driver’s license or state ID
• Current utility bill
• Bank statement
• Paycheck or government check
• Other government document

Step 2: Fill out an application

You can register by one of the following methods:

• Online at Michigan.gov/VoterRegistration
• At a Secretary of State branch office
• At your city or township clerk’s office or your county clerk’s office
• At any state agency that provides public assistance or services to people with disabilities
• By mailing in a completed voter registration application postmarked at least 15 days before the election; or,
• Through a voter registration drive
• At a designated voter registration agency

Within 14 days before the election, all applications must be submitted to your local city or township clerk’s office in person.

Step 3: Submit your application

Submitting your application online:

To submit your application online, visit the online voter registration section of this website.

Submitting your application in person:

If you hand-deliver your application to the city/township clerk, the staff person helping you will take your form and you don’t need to do anything else.

Submitting your application via mail:

If you have never registered to vote in Michigan and choose to mail in your application, you will need to verify your identity by including the following:

• Your Michigan driver’s license or state ID number where requested on the form. OR
• The last 4 digits of your Social Security number where requested on the form. OR
• Send a copy (not an original document) of ONE of the following forms of identification with your application:
  • A photocopy of your Michigan driver’s license or state ID, or
  • A photocopy of a paycheck stub, utility bill, bank document or government document that lists both your name and your address.

Step 4: City/township clerk processes application

Your city or township clerk will send you a voter registration card upon processing your application. Keep it in your wallet or purse so you know where to go to cast your ballot. For directions and a map to your polling place, visit Michigan.gov/Vote.

Step 5: You’re registered