Voting at the Polls
Voter ID
Every Michigan voter who offers to vote in the polls must comply with the ID requirement by showing picture identification or signing an affidavit attesting that he or she is not in possession of picture identification. (See MCL 168.523 for picture identification requirement.). Michigan driver's license or a Michigan personal identification card satisfy the identification requirement.
Voters who do not possess either document may show any of the following forms of picture identification as long as they are current:
- Driver's license or personal identification card issues by another state
- Federal or state government-issued photo identification
- U.S. passport
- Military identification card with photo
- Student identification with photo from a high school or an accredited institution of higher education
- Tribal identification card with photo
Voters without picture identification: Michigan election law anticipates that not all voters will have picture identification. Voters who do not bring picture identification to the polls or do not possess picture identification can vote like any other voter by signing an affidavit.
Questions regarding the picture identification requirement can be directed to your local city or township clerk's office. For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/vote.
Provisional Ballots
What is a Provisional Ballot?
It gives voters a second chance to cast their vote on Election Day if you are denied a regular ballot for reasons such as –
- Your name does not appear on the voter rolls
- You have a problem with their voter identification, or
- You are at the wrong polling location.
When do they count?Provisional ballots are counted starting the day after the regular election. If election officials can verify that you are registered to vote in the appropriate jurisdiction, your provisional ballot will count. A poll worker can tell you how to find out if your ballot was counted. Many states provide a number to call or website to check to find if your ballot counted.
Does provisional voting work the same in all states?No. Provisional voting has different rules in most states.
What are the differences?
The biggest difference is when voters may use a provisional ballot. The majority of states only allow you to use a provisional ballot if you arrive at your correct precinct. Many other states like California allow more expanded provisional voting. You may cast a provisional ballot for any race so long as you’re voting in the right jurisdiction. There’s a big difference here. The latter means you can vote provisionally and have that vote count for a statewide race such as Governor or a state ballot measure no matter where you are in the state, for example if you are suddenly out of town or unable to get home to your neighorhood poll.
What about states with Election Day Registration?
States with Election Day registration rely far less on provisional ballots. The EDR states allow voters to correct a registration error at the polls on election day. In addition to EDR, universal or automatic voter registration methods used in other democracies would greatly reduce the need for provisional ballots.
Regardless of what rules your state uses, we would encourage every voter who has a problem at the polls to ask for a provisional ballot. It could well be counted and may make a difference.
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For More Information on Provisional Ballots in Your State, visit:
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GENERAL ELECTION
TUESDAY
August 7, 2012
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All polls open from
7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
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