Election Day 2026 is here!
Many key races are at stake in Michigan, including governor, a U.S. Senate seat, secretary of state, attorney general, two ballot proposals and more. Use our master guide for information about the candidates and proposals on your ballot.
Whether you plan to vote in person today or you were one of the more than 2.3 million Michiganders who voted early, here are the key things you need to know, including polling hours, where to vote, what to bring, your rights, and more.
What time do polls open and close in Michigan?
Polls open at 7 a.m. local time on Election Day and close at 8 p.m. If you are in line by 8 p.m., you have the right to vote.
Four Upper Peninsula counties - Dickinson, Gogebic, Iron and Menominee counties - are in Central Time, meaning their polls will close at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Where is my polling location?
Use the Michigan Voter Information Center website to find your polling location and hours.
Election Day voting in Michigan
- All registered Michigan voters can vote at their polling place on Election Day. Before you head out, check your voter registration status.
- Unregistered voters and voters who need to update their registration to their current address must go to their local clerk’s office. There, they can register and vote using an absentee ballot.
- Photo ID is not required to vote in Michigan. But if you have one, you must present it by law. The photo ID does not need to list your address and can have a variation of your name. (ex: “Bill” instead of “William.”)
- Those without a photo ID will need to sign an affidavit stating the voter “is not in possession of a valid photo ID.” Then a ballot is issued and counted as normal — and making a false affidavit could be prosecuted as perjury.
- Make sure you’re not wearing campaign clothes or accessories like stickers, hats, pins, etc. By law, campaign-specific apparel or signs are not allowed into or within 100 feet of a polling location.
- Free rides to the polls are being offered in some communities. Find out if your area is included and arrange a ride here. Some ridesharing apps are also offering discounted rates to and from voting locations.
- You can still return a completed absentee ballot in person on Election Day, but it must be received by your local clerk’s office by 8 p.m. to be counted.
Who's running in the 2026 election?
Here's your master guide of key candidates, races, where everyone stands on the main issues, and more.
Michigan 'I Voted' stickers for 2026
Precincts across Michigan should have special "I Voted" stickers designed by students across the state. Here are the winning designs you'll find.
Can I change my vote in Michigan?
If you still have your ballot in hand and you want to change your vote or made a mistake on the ballot, you can “spoil” your ballot up until polls close on Election Day. You can do this by visiting your election clerk.
How to track your ballot status in Michigan
If you requested and/or filled out an absentee ballot, you can track its status online by going to mi.gov/myvoterinfo and entering your information. Check the "Absentee ballot" section to view the date when your ballot was sent and whether the clerk has received your completed ballot.
When can we expect Michigan election results?
If all goes well, expect election results to come in by 11 p.m. or midnight. But there are several reasons some ballots could be counted later. Michigan Public reporter Dustin Dwyer has more on the prociess in The Mids.
Accessible voting in Michigan
Voters with a disability can get help completing their absentee ballot application, as long as the person helping is not their employer or an agent of their employer, and as long as they are not a union officer or agent. The assisting person has to include their information as specified on the absentee ballot application.
Voters with disability can also submit an accessible absentee ballot application online. The form is open until 5 p.m. October 30. The state recommends requesting a ballot as early as possible to allow enough time for its return.
Then the voter will be emailed an electronic ballot and can mark the ballot on an electronic device, using their own assistive technology. The completed ballot needs to be printed out and returned to the voter's local clerk before polls close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, November 3, 2026. Ballots cannot be returned electronically.
For help with accessible voting, the state Bureau of Elections ombudsperson for accessible elections can help. To speak with the ombudsperson, call 517-335-2730.
Challenged and provisional ballots
A ballot is considered "challenged" or "provisional" when more information is needed from the voter to verify their eligibility to vote.
A provisional ballot may be issued if:
- The voter's name does not appear on the registration list at the polling place.
- The voter is at the wrong polling location.
- The voter is voting for the first time and is unable to provide a valid form of identification.
If you've cast a provisional ballot, you have 6 days after the election to provide appropriate ID documentation to your city or township clerk. For 2026, the deadline is November 9.
Election challengers are authorized election observers and have the right to challenge a voter's eligibility to vote at the polls.
Any challenge must be based on a legitimate reason to suspect a violation of election law. Challengers may not issue a challenge just to delay the voting process. They may not base their challenge on a voter's race or appearance. They may not base it on political affiliation or the voter’s ballot selection.
Any legitimate challenge will be looked into by election workers and the local clerk. You may then have to confirm certain information to verify your eligibility under oath. If you do, you will be issued a ballot that is marked as "challenged." You might need to take additional steps after voting to verify your eligibility. In that case, you will be contacted by your local clerk with instructions.
If you refuse to take the oath or answer questions designed to verify eligibility, the challenge is accepted, and you won't be able to cast a ballot.
