Michigan identifies 2.1 million dormant or outdated voter registrations since 2019
More than 180,000 registrations of people who have not voted in the last 20 years have been deleted from Michigan rolls, the Michigan Secretary of State's office said.
This list of dormant registrations is among over 2.1 million outdated voter registrations that have been canceled or identified for future cancellation since 2019. The state says there are about 8.3 million registered voters in Michigan, with 7.3 million considered active.
Jocelyn Benson started her time as Michigan Secretary of State in 2019, and her term is scheduled to end Jan. 1. 2027. She is now term-limited for that office and is one of the Democrats running for the Michigan governor's seat in the 2026 election cycle.
"Michigan has one of the highest voter registration rates in the county, and we have broken turnout records for the last three statewide elections in a row. Michigan is showing the country that states don't have to choose between accessible high turnout elections and accurate voter lists," she said about removing outdated registrations.
While there has long been a process of removing someone from the rolls via cancellation should they move out of the community where they were registered to vote, there is also now the "reliable information" clause, where a voter's failure to vote for 20 years is cause for removing a name.
The 20-year rule took effect in February.
Another step in clearing up individual Michigan voter records began during 2020, when all registered voters were sent information on how to apply for absentee voter ballots. State and local officials tracked those letters returned as undeliverable to start marking voters as inactive, and sent additional letters in an attempt to notify those people. The waiting period ended in 2024, and those who had not responded were removed.
Those who are identified as candidates for cancellation are sent a notice from the board of elections before it takes effect.
If your registration has been canceled, but you still wish to vote in Michigan, the Secretary of State's office says you will need to register again to vote. The process includes proof of residency such as a utility bill or insurance documents, a Michigan driver's license or state ID card, or a bank statement with your address.
Those who are eligible to vote in Michigan must be U.S. citizens, residents of Michigan, and reach the age of 18 by election day.
The above video originally aired on March 4, 2026.