Absentee Voting

Absentee ballots are available at the Clerk's Office. You can request an application by emailing the City Clerk or calling the Clerk's office.

All registered voters are eligible to vote by mail

Due to the passage of the statewide ballot proposal 18-3, all eligible and registered voters in Michigan may now request an absent voter ballot without providing a reason.

Requesting an absent voter ballot

Voters may request an absent voter ballot or accessible voter ballot in a variety of ways.  Applications are available at Michigan.gov.  Requests for absent voter ballots may be returned by hand, via postal mail or email, as long as a signature is visible.  Please note that we do not maintain a permanent Absent Voter List.  Sample ballots may be view at the County Clerk's website.

Requests to have an absent voter ballot mailed to you must be received by the clerk's office no later than 4:00 p.m. the Friday before the election. If you’re already registered at your current address, you can request an absent voter ballot in person at the clerk’s office anytime up to 4:00 p.m. on the day prior to the election, this ballot must be completed at the clerk’s office. If you’re registering to vote or updating your address by appearing at your clerk’s office on Election Day, you can request an absent voter ballot at the same time you register. If you request your AV ballot the day before the election or on Election Day, you must vote the ballot in the clerk's office.  Absent voter ballots may be issued to you at your home address or any address outside of the City.

Returning your absent voter ballot

After receiving your absent voter ballot, you have until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day to complete the ballot and return it to the clerk's office. Your ballot will not be counted unless your signature is on the return envelope and matches your signature on file. If you received assistance voting the ballot, then the signature of the person who helped you must also be on the return envelope. Only you, a family member or person residing in your household, a mail carrier, or election official is authorized to deliver your signed absent voter ballot to the clerk's office.

Spoiling an absent voter ballot

If a voter has already voted absentee and wishes to change their vote (because the candidate has dropped out of the race, or for any other reason), a voter can spoil their ballot by submitting a written request to the City Clerk.

• The voter must sign the request and state if they would like a new absentee ballot mailed to them or if they will pick it up in person at the clerk’s office.
• This request must be received by 4:00 p.m. the Friday before the election if received by mail. An absentee ballot that has been returned to the clerk may be spoiled in person at the clerk’s office until 10:00 a.m. the Monday prior to the election. An absentee ballot that has not been returned to the clerk may be spoiled in person at the clerk’s office until 4:00 p.m. the Monday prior to the election.
• If a voter has not returned his or her ballot, the voter can surrender the ballot or sign a statement stating that the ballot was lost or destroyed and vote at the polls. There is no option on Election Day to spoil an absentee ballot that has been received by the clerk.