What to know about Michigan's early voting for the November 2026 election
Michigan voters who want to cast a ballot in person before Election Day can do so starting Saturday, Oct. 24, when clerks must open early voting sites.
Early in-person voting became available in Michigan in 2024, after voters approved it in a 2022 constitutional amendment. It is not a common choice, as most Michigan voters still participate via absentee ballots or on Election Day, according to the Michigan Voting Dashboard.
The procedures are similar to voting on Election Day.
When can I vote early?
Clerks must make early voting available from Oct. 24 through Nov. 1, a schedule that includes two Saturdays and two Sundays ahead of Election Day, the Michigan Secretary of State says. East Lansing was one of the first cities to open an early voting site, doing so Monday.
Clerks can offer more days than that. The state allows up to 28 days of early voting, which could mean starting as soon as Oct. 5, on a case-by-case basis.
You can find the days available to your community at the Michigan Voter Information Center or by contacting your local clerk's office. For example, the City of Detroit says it will host early vote sites from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 24-Nov. 2. The City of Westland says it will host early voting from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24-Nov. 1.
What are the busiest days for voting early?
Based on data from the August 2026 primary, the Michigan Secretary of State says the busiest days for voting early are the Friday, Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. In the 2024 general election, 263,634 voters cast ballots over the first weekend of early voting, CBS Detroit reported.
Where do I vote early?
Michigan residents can check early voting locations for their registered address at the Michigan Voter Information Center. The Michigan Secretary of State says local clerks select sites based on expected voter turnout, site accessibility and population density.
What to expect at early voting?
Michigan residents will need to bring photo identification to the early voting site, just as they would at their regular polling place. Those who forgot their photo ID will need to sign an "Affidavit of Voter Not in Possession of Picture Identification" before they are allowed to vote.
Once signed in, voters will be given a paper ballot. They will complete it in person, place it into a secrecy sleeve and insert it into a tabulating machine.
Each early voting site will have assistive tools to help voters with visual, hearing or mobility disabilities.
When are early votes counted?
The Michigan Secretary of State says the paper ballots are inserted into early in-person voting tabulators and sealed in secure containers every night. The votes will be totaled and reported after polls close at 8 p.m. local time on Election Day.
