Know Your Voting Rights | Michigan Voting

STUDENT VOTER GUIDE

Election Day: Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Welcome to the Michigan Student Voter Guide!

Read on to learn about:

If you have additional questions or you need more information, you can email questions@michiganvoting.org, call or text (866) OUR-VOTE | (866) 687-8683 or check out our Know Your Voting Rights Guide.

Descargue La Guía en Español

Registering to Vote as a Student

Can I register to vote?

You can register to vote in Michigan if:

You are a U.S. citizen.
You have been a resident of a city or township in Michigan for at least 30 days (or will be by Election Day).
You are at least 17 and a half years old.
You are not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison.

If you're from Michigan, and you go to school in Michigan, you can register to vote using your school address or home address.
If you're from Michigan, and you go to school outside of Michigan, you can register to vote using your home address in Michigan.
If you're not from Michigan, but you go to school in Michigan, you can register to vote using your school address in Michigan.

How do I register to vote?

How you register to vote depends on when you register to vote.

Before October 22, you can register to vote:

ONLINE. We encourage you to register to vote online! You can register to vote online at mi.gov/vote. Click on “pre-register or register to vote online.” (To register online, you must have a valid Michigan driver’s license or state ID.)

BY MAIL. You can print an application, complete it, and mail it in. Get application online at mi.gov/vote. Click on “voter forms and publications.” (You do not need a Michigan driver's license or state ID to register to vote by mail.)

IN PERSON. You can register to vote in person at any of these places:

Any Secretary of State branch office.
Your city, township, or county clerk’s office.
Any state agency that provides public assistance or services to people with disabilities.
Any Armed Forces recruitment office.
A voter-registration drive.

(You do not need a Michigan driver's license or state ID to register to vote in person.)

Starting October 22 through 8 p.m. on Election Day, you must register to vote:

IN PERSON. Visit your city or township clerk's office, complete a registration application, and provide proof of residency.

Proof of residency is an official document with both your name and the address where you currently live. You can use any of the following:

A Michigan driver’s license or state ID card.
Any document issued by a public Michigan high school, college, university, or other educational institution, including:
- A webpage on your student portal displaying your name and on-campus address (for example, Wolverine Access, StuInfo, Academica, CentralLink, or GoWMU).
- Financial aid documents.
- University registration forms.
A utility bill (for example, gas, water, electric, or internet).
A bank statement.
A paycheck.
A government check.
Any other government document.

If you register to vote on or after October 22, ask for a registration receipt. Keep this receipt and bring it with you when you go to vote.

Does voter registration impact student financial aid?

No.

If I live in a residence hall, do I need to give my wing and room number when I register?

Yes. A complete address is required so that you can be assigned to the correct polling location.

If I’m mailing in my application, where and by when do I need to mail it?

Mail your voter registration application to your city or township clerk. To vote in the November 5 General Election, your application must be postmarked by October 21.

What is pre-registration?

If you are between 16 and 17 and a half years old, and you otherwise meet the requirements for registering to vote, you can pre-register to vote. You can pre-register to vote using any of the voter registration methods described above. Once you turn 17 and a half, your pre-registration will automatically turn into a regular registration.

To preregister to vote in Michigan, you must be:

A U.S. citizen.
A Michigan resident.
At least 16 years old.
Not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison.

How can I check my registration status?

To find out if you are registered to vote where you currently live, visit mi.gov/vote and click on “your voter information.” Enter the required information to see if, and where, you are registered to vote:

If you’re already registered to vote where you currently live, no need to do anything else. Just vote when it’s time!

If you’re not registered (or if you’re registered at the wrong place), follow the steps above.

Can I Vote?

Voting As A Student

What will be on my ballot?

To preview your ballot, visit mi.gov/vote and click on “Your voter information.” To learn about the candidates on your ballot, visit vote411.org. To learn about the jobs on your ballot, visit MyBallotMyPower.org.

Voting in person before Election Day (Early Voting).

You have the option of voting early and in person at an early voting site. Early voting is very similar to the experience of voting at a polling place on Election Day and will include the act of putting your completed ballot into a tabulator.

Find your early voting site by visiting mi.gov/vote and clicking on “Your voter information.” Early voting must be offered from October 26 through November 3, but some communities will start early voting even sooner.

Don't wait to cast your vote, especially if you think you'll be too busy on Election Day!

Voting by mail before Election Day (Absentee Voting).

You have the option of receiving a ballot in the mail and completing it at your own pace. This is a great option if you prefer to register at your hometown address, but you aren't able to travel to that address to vote in person.

To learn how to vote by mail before Election Day, click here.

Can I use any drop box on my campus to return my ballot?

If your campus is in the city or township where you are registered, you can use an on-campus drop box. However, if your campus is NOT in the city or township where you are registered, you cannot use an on-campus drop box. Voters may only use a drop box in the city or township where they are registered. If you use a drop box in the wrong city or township, you ballot may not be counted.

Do I need stamps to vote by mail?

No. You ballot will come with a prepaid return envelope. You can simply drop it in the mail.

Voting in person on Election Day.

Where you vote depends on if you are already registered to vote.

If you are already registered to vote where you live, you must vote at your assigned polling place. You can find your polling place by visiting mi.gov/vote and clicking on “Your voter information.” Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time on Election Day.

If you are not already registered to vote where you live, you must visit your city or township clerk’s office or satellite office with proof of residency by 8 p.m. on Election Day to register to vote. After you register, you can vote by absentee ballot at your clerk’s office or satellite office, or you can go to your polling place, if there’s time.

Some communities may have Election Day Vote Centers. An Election Day Vote Center is a place where voters can go to register and then get a ballot, fill it out, and feed it into a tabulator. To find out if your community has an Election Day Vote Center, visit mi.gov/vote and click on “Your voter information."

How Can I Get Ready to Vote?

Proof of Residency

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Call the Election Protection hotlines for assistance at any time.

For assistance in English, call 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).

Para recibir ayuda en español, llama a 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682).

844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287) :للمساعدة باللغة العربية، اتصل على
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For assistance in Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Urdu or Vietnamese call 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683).

For additional information or questions, email: questions@michiganvoting.org.