How To Find Out If My Absentee Ballot Was Received

Many want to participate in the democratic process, but are nervous about voting in person on Election Solar day while coronavirus continues to ravage the land.

If you want to vote using an absentee ballot this fall, there are several steps you need to follow to ensure your vote is counted.

In Michigan, in that location's a solution for every registered voter: casting an absentee ballot. If y'all are not already on the permanent absentee voter list, clerks can get-go processing your absentee ballot applications on Th.

The procedure of voting absentee is straightforward, with protections along the way to ensure the security and integrity of your election, say local and national elections experts.

Here's how to vote absentee in Michigan.

Stride one: Annals to vote

Ane definitive way to ensure your vote will not count this fall is if y'all are not registered.

While you tin can register up to and through Election Day in Michigan, the sooner you register the sooner you can apply for an absentee ballot.

If you have a valid driver'due south license or land ID, you can register online. If not, you'll demand to go to your local clerk and bring other documents that show where you live.

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Step two: Apply for an absentee ballot

The application is 2 pages: one that you demand to make full out, and a 2d that explains how to complete the application. Fill in your proper name and accost, point that you want to receive an absentee election for the general election and sign. Annotation: it'southward a crime to impersonate someone on a ballot application. Don't do that.

Starting Th, Michigan voters tin complete this awarding online. Chances are you lot may also receive an unsolicited application from an advocacy group. Yous tin can as well print out a hard copy of the application and fill up information technology out. If you lot practice not have admission to a computer, your local clerk should exist able to assist y'all in getting an application.

Applications can be mailed, hand-delivered, faxed or emailed to your local clerk. If you determine to email the application, you can take a picture of the completed application and send it to the appropriate email accost (check with your clerk for this e-mail). But brand sure yous have a steady paw when y'all take the moving-picture show, andinclude your signature in the photograph!

Clerks need to receive these applications requesting an absentee ballot be mailed to yous past 5 p.m. on Oct. 30. You can likewise go in person to the clerk's office and request an absentee ballot until 4 p.m. on the twenty-four hours earlier the election.

But in reality,request your absentee ballot at present.The longer yous look to apply, the lower your chances are for successfully receiving and casting your ballot through the postal service.

Just use equally soon as possible.

Discover contact information for your clerk at world wide web.michigan.gov/vote.

More:Michigan clerks: What we demand to count absentee ballots in Nov

More:Unsure if your absentee ballot was received? Bank check this website.

Stride three: Fill out your absentee ballot

At present that you lot've practical, you're going to need to wait a infinitesimal. Expect your clerk to receive hundreds or thousands of applications, many more than in previous years.

There'south no hard and fast rule on when you'll receive your ballot. While state law says clerks need to have absentee ballots available at their offices and kickoff putting them in the mail to voters by Sept. 24, some jurisdictions may showtime this process sooner.

Information technology never hurts to check with your clerk to see when you may receive your election.

Want a sneak peek at your ballot while y'all wait? Go to www.michigan.gov/vote or this site and enter your personal information. The site should provide a sample election, along with contact data for your local clerk and other of import details for Election Solar day.

When that ballot arrives in the mail service, don't throw it abroad or put it with your stack of newspapers (thanks for subscribing!) and forget near it.

As long as you experience comfy that y'all're ready to vote, you should complete your election as shortly as possible.

Completing your election rapidly ensures that you lot can get it back to the clerk faster, increasing your chances that your vote counts. Different the primary, where yous could only vote for candidates from the Republican or Autonomous parties, anyone tin vote for a candidate from either party in the General Election. (Don't vote for more than one candidate in a race, unless the ballots specifically states that you may.)

Make sure y'all correctly seal the secrecy envelope that comes with your ballot, put your ballot in the return envelope and sign the outside of this envelope. There's a big box where yous're supposed to sign, don't miss information technology!

Hundreds of Michigan voters did non sign their absentee ballot return envelopes in the August chief, resulting in invalidated ballots. Sign it!

More:How to run a primary in a pandemic: Michigan clerks become a crash course

Pace 4: Return your absentee ballot

Your ballot is done! But that vote doesn't count until the clerk opens upward your absentee envelope on Election Day.

In that location are several ways to return your ballot: the mail, taking it directly to your clerk or using a drop box.

If you're using the mail, you lot cannot mail service your election presently plenty. Like, stop reading and go mail your completed ballot now.

Only seriously, there is no penalty for sending in your election weeks earlier the ballot. Clerks are required to keep absentee ballots in a private, secure area; country police force confined opening any absentee ballot until Election Twenty-four hours.

The corporeality of postage stamp needed for a election depends on where you live. Some cities or counties are offering prepaid absentee election render envelopes, merely many are non. The final cost of postage depends on the weight of the election — longer ballots with more bug upwards for a vote are likely to weigh a trivial more and potentially toll more.

It'southward safest to call your clerk to enquire about postage, or to accept your envelope directly to the post role.

In Michigan, you may as well utilize individual carriers like FedEx or UPS to send your absentee ballot. If yous do this, just brand sure your ballot is however in the secrecy envelope and render envelope, and that you signed the outside of the render envelope.

Many jurisdictions throughout the state also have drop boxes — they look like big mailboxes but they're specifically for absentee ballots. If you choose to go this route, y ou must use the drop box for the area where you lot're registered to vote.If you alive in Saginaw and put your ballot in a Lansing drop box, that's non gonna work.

Phone call your clerk or check this website for more information about drop boxes in your area.

Ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election 24-hour interval in order to be counted. If you lot're reading this and November. 3 is right around the corner, it'south probably safest to either have your ballot direct to your local clerk or to a drop box.

More:Formerly incarcerated people can vote in upcoming Michigan elections

Step five: Revel in the fact you performed your borough duty

You did it!

Like millions of other independents, Republicans and Democrats, yous've successfully cast an absentee ballot.

In one case the ballot is in the postal service, in a drop box or at a clerk's office, you lot can track its progress at world wide web.michigan.gov/vote. After you enter your personal information, the site will evidence y'all whether your clerk has received your ballot.

More:Wayne County Commissioners allocate $100K for absentee ballot drib boxes

Bonus stride: Can I modify my absentee ballot?

Buyer'south remorse? A modify of heart?

No worries! If it'due south non yet Election Mean solar day, there'south time to nullify your absentee ballot.

Through a process called "spoiling," voters can substantially abolish their absentee ballot. This is pretty common, especially during primary elections where voters send in a ballot early and then their preferred candidate drops out of a race.

In gild to spoil a ballot, a voter needs to send a signed and written request to the advisable local clerk. If the request is mailed, make sure you signal whether you want a new absentee ballot or if you plan to vote in person instead. Clerks need to receive a mailed asking by 2 p.yard. on Oct. 31, or an in-person request to spoil a ballot by four p.thou. the day earlier the election.

There is no option for spoiling an absentee ballot on Election Day once your clerk has received your ballot.

Once you've spoiled your ballot, yous can follow the absentee ballot steps above or vote in person.Only one ballot counts!

Skillful luck!

Contact Dave Boucher: dboucher@freepress.com or 313-938-4591. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.