Frequently Asked Questions
Election Information
Absentee Voting: Absentee voting allows individuals to vote without being physically present at the polling place. These ballots can be submitted to the Clerk's Office in person or by mail. They are placed inside an envelope signed by the voter and securely stored in the Clerk's Office until Election Day when they are counted. Voters can select a new checkbox on the Absent Voter Ballot Application to join the Permanent Absent Voter List.
By doing so, they will automatically receive an Absentee Voter Ballot Application before every election they are eligible to participate in. The voter can then decide whether to apply for a ballot.
Please be aware that postal services cannot forward ballots. If you will be at a different address during the election, contacting the Clerk's Office to update your mailing address is essential.
Early Voting/Early In-Person Voting: Distinct from absentee voting, early voting is a nine-day period of in-person voting that commences on the second Saturday before State and Federal elections and concludes on the Sunday before the election. During early voting, voters cast their filled-in ballots through a tabulator. Once submitted, these ballots cannot be altered and will be securely stored until the end of the day. At that point, election workers from both political parties will place the ballots into a Secure Ballot Box, a secure repository for absentee ballots or applications to vote. This box is sealed, and the tabulator is temporarily suspended for the evening. It resumes operation the following morning after proper inspection, ensuring that vote tallies cannot be accessed before 8 pm on Election Day. This safeguards the votes' security, integrity, and validity. Keep an eye out for a mailer providing information about the locations of early voting sites.
Vote on Election Day at Your Polling Location: Voting at your designated location on Election Day will remain unchanged. There are no alterations to your Election Day polling locations at this time.
Click Here to look up your polling place by your home address.
FOIA
Public bodies in Michigan have 5 business days after legal date of receipt to respond to a FOIA, however, a public body has the right to request an additional 10 days if needed. Find more information here.