Michigan allows same-day voter registration. Here's how to make that happen.

A voter registration application in Michigan must be submitted at least 15 days before the election when handled online or by mail.

But with the appropriate documentation and an in-person visit, a prospective voter can register during the two weeks before an election or even on Election Day itself.

Are you eligible to vote? 

The first step is to determine if you are eligible to vote.

Those who are eligible to vote in Michigan are those who are at least 18 years old when casting a ballot, a U.S. citizen, a Michigan resident for at least 30 days, a resident of the intended city or township for at least 30 days, and not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison.   

Are you registered to vote?

You do not need to vote in every election to keep a voter registration current. The Michigan Secretary of State says a voter is not considered inactive unless they have not cast a ballot in the last six years and there is reason to believe that the voter has moved or died in the meantime. 

If you are not certain whether you are currently eligible, where you are to vote and where your local clerk's office is, check your voter registration online. 

Do you have the documentation to vote?

You will need to prove residency in Michigan to register to vote in this state.

Proof of residency can be through a valid Michigan driver's license or Michigan state ID, a current utility bill, a bank statement, a paycheck or another government document that shows your current address. 

Find those documents and bring them with you to the local election clerk's office.

Where do you vote as a student?

College students sometimes do not live at their permanent address when attending classes.

If you have a Michigan driver's license or state ID card, and you are registered to vote in Michigan, the Michigan Secretary of State says your voter registration address and the address on your ID will be the same. If you change the address on one, it will automatically change on the other.

If you are from Michigan and go to school in Michigan, you can register to vote at either your school address or your home address.

If you are from Michigan and attend school out of state, you can register to vote using your Michigan home address.

If you are from out of state and attend school in Michigan, the Secretary of State says you can register to vote at your Michigan school address.

Registering on Election Day 

If you wait until Election Day to register to vote, or wish to do so within two weeks of an election, you must apply in person at the city or township clerk's office that runs your local elections. 

Same-day registration can be completed in person up until 8 p.m. local time on an election day. This is the time when the polls close. Most of Michigan is in the Eastern time zone; part of the Upper Peninsula is in the Central time zone.