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Voter Services

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What We Do

LWV Detroit wants to empower people to voice their opinion by voting, so we strive to provide clear, and accurate election information. Therefore, our Voter Services webpage contains links to the most up-to-date voting information.

Election Day Info

UPCOMING ELECTION DATES IN 2023:

Voters can now go to MI.gov/vote, click on “your voter information,” and enter the required information to see whether there’s a May election in their community. The Secretary of State has also published a full list of communities with May elections. More details are below on applying for an absentee ballot for the May election (and on joining the permanent mail voter list while doing so).

On Election Day, polls are open from 7 am to 8 pm, and those in line at 8 pm have the right to cast their vote.

Voter Registration Info

There’s no voter registration deadline in Michigan. Voters can register to vote (or update their registration) at any time up until 8 pm on Election Day. There are, however, deadlines for specific registration methods. Watch how with this short video from the MI Secretary of State.

A voter has many ways to register to vote:

On Election Day, a voter has one way to register to vote: visit their city or township clerk and provide “proof of residency.” 

Those who are registered to vote where they live must vote at their assigned polling place. Those who are not registered to vote where they live can visit their local clerk’s office with proof of residency by 8 pm on Election Day, and once registered to vote where they live can vote by absentee ballot in their clerk’s office.

Please remember to check your polling location! Go to VOTE411 for polling place locations, the races on your ballot, and much more.

NOTE: Due to Michigan’s recent redistricting process, some voters may have new precincts or polling locations. Visit MI.gov/vote or call the nonpartisan Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) for confirmation.

Where to Vote in Detroit

Absentee Ballots Info

Absentee Ballots are available to voters at least one month before an election. If you would like to vote in person before Election Day, you may do so at your city or township clerk’s office starting on Thursday.

If you would like to vote from home, request an absentee ballot be sent to your address. Details on how to apply can be found here.

NOTE: If you want your absentee ballot to count, you must sign the ballot envelope with your official signature. (A voter’s “official signature” is the one they use to sign official documents.)

In November 2020 alone, more than 3,200 ballots were rejected because of signature issues –  either the voter did not sign the ballot envelope or the city or township clerk found that the voter’s signature did not sufficiently match the signature on file. While it is possible for a voter to correct these issues by visiting their clerk’s office, doing so can often be difficult and time-consuming.

And remember, you can track your ballot AND your application by going to MI.gov/vote and clicking on “your voter information” (see below for more info).

Watch this YouTube video on Absentee Voting (produced by Get Out The Vote and the City of Southfield, MI). Never mind the video’s 2020 production date; its absentee voting information is still relevant today.

Also, check out the LWV YouTube video on Absentee Ballot voting. To view, click the red button below.

LWV YouTube Channel: Waiting for Democracy

Michigan Voter Resources

For a non-partisan resource to help Michigan voters navigate up-to-date voting laws, check out https://www.michiganvoting.org. This site also provides information in Spanish, Arabic, and Bengali. 

From the Michigan Department of State, the Michigan Voter Information Center ⏤ or MVIC (pronounced “em vick”) ⏤ contains a wealth of information and resources related to voting and elections in Michigan (michigan.gov/vote or mi.gov/vote):

The MI Secretary of State also offers a link to various voting resources and voter education materials, including flyers in Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese Mandarin, French, Korean, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese ⏤ all of which can be shared with family, friends, and neighbors: https://www. es/initiatives/voter-education.

Track Your Ballot

And of course, if voters have already submitted their ballot, they can confirm that it was received by their city or township clerk by visiting MI.gov/VOTE. All they need to do is click on “your voter information” and enter the required information. 

Voters can use MI.gov/VOTE to see if:

  • Their absentee ballot application was processed by their city or township clerk
  • Their absentee ballot was mailed to them
  • Their completed absentee ballot was received by their city or township clerk

If a particular step is complete (for example, if the application was processed by the city or township clerk) MVIC will show the date it was completed. If there’s no date under a particular step, that step is not yet complete.

Elected Officials Guide

While VOTE411.org offers information on current election candidates and proposals, the Elected Officials Guide lists elected officials and their contact information.

If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions about what’s happening in your neighborhood or city, use this guide to find elected government officials and their contact information. Your representatives do read their mail, phone messages, and emails! 

2022-Elected-Officials-Guide-1

LWV Makes the Mashable List

 Credit: Shutterstock / Lightspring

Although written in September 2020 for the Presidential Election, Mashable’s list of organizations working on getting out the vote is still relevant. The groups highlighted in this article continue to work to ensure everyone’s vote is counted

Non-partisan Campaigns & Organizations Regarding Voter Rights

The League advocates for legislation to enable local clerks to efficiently and effectively process the significant increase in absentee ballots and to have the flexibility to accommodate changes. We also monitor the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission to ensure equity and fairness with redistricting maps. Below is a list of our nonpartisan partners in this regard.

Election Protection Hotline

Questions? Looking for more information about voting before Election Day by absentee ballot? Call the nonpartisan Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). 

Election Protection Hotline Video

WORKING 365 DAYS TO ADVANCE AND DEFEND YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE

The national, nonpartisan Election Protection Coalition was formed to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process. Made up of more than 100 local, state and national partners, Election Protection works year-round to advance and defend the right to vote.

Election Protection Hotline

Problems registering to vote? Have a question about your absentee ballot? Need some expert advice? No problem.

Call the Election Protection Hotline:
866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
Or click the ELECTION HOTLINE button below:

ELECTION HOTLINE