Why Is Early Voting?

EARLY VOTING BASICS​

What is early voting?

Early voting is the opportunity to cast a ballot in person before Election Day. For voters, the early voting experience will be 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. 

Where will early voting take place?

Early voting will take place at early voting sites. An early voting site will operate similarly to an Election Day polling place but can be set up to serve voters from more than one city or township. This means that your early voting site may not be located in your community. Early voting sites can also serve more voters than an Election Day polling place can serve. To find your early voting site, visit mi.gov/vote and click on “your voter information.”    ​

Where will early voting take place?

Communities are required to offer early voting in each statewide and federal election for at least nine consecutive days, beginning on the second Saturday before the election and ending on the Sunday before the election, for at least eight hours each day. Communities also have the flexibility to offer early voting in additional elections and to add additional days and hours beyond what the constitution requires.

HOW TO VOTE EARLY

If you vote at an early voting site, you will be able to put your ballot into the tabulator, just like on Election Day.

STEP 1: Find out when and where early voting is offered for your community. To find this information, visit mi.gov/vote and click on “Your voter information.” You can also call your city or township clerk and ask for this information. Early voting must be offered in all statewide and federal elections for at least nine consecutive days and for eight hours a day, ending the Sunday before Election Day, but some communities will have early voting in additional elections and for additional days and hours.

STEP 2: Go to an early voting site for your community and check in with the poll workers. 

STEP 3: Complete your ballot, place it in a secrecy sleeve, and feed it into the tabulator, just like you do at your polling place on Election Day.

Remember: you have the right to vote if you are in line when your early voting site closes.