Michigan elections FAQ: Voter ID, drop boxes, registration, NDAs and more

• Bridge Michigan has spent months answering reader questions about the upcoming election
• Readers asked about election security, voter rules, candidate controversies, policy positions and more
• Find answers here, or follow the links for more information

You asked, we answered. Again and again.

Bridge Michigan has spent months answering reader questions about the upcoming election through a combination of written stories and live streaming shows with reporters. 

One week out from Election Day, readers had already submitted more than 300 questions. And while we haven’t been able to answer every one, we have answered many over the course of 22 live shows and more than 50 stories. 

Find all of our answers here, ask your own question here, and keep reading for some of the great hits.

When is the last day to register to vote?

Long story short, you can register to vote in person at your local clerk’s office through Election Day itself because of Michigan's relatively new same-day registration law. While Michigan also allows registration online or through the mail, those options are not allowed within 14 days of the election, when registration must be done in person. Read the full answer here. 

Do you need an ID to vote or register to vote?

Michigan generally requires a driver license or other valid photo ID to register to vote or to vote in elections. But in both cases, citizens without ID can sign an affidavit instead.  Lying on an affidavit constitutes perjury, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison in Michigan. Read the full answer here. 

How are absentee ballot drop boxes monitored?

Michigan law requires all ballot drop boxes to be “securely locked” and affixed to the ground or another stationary object. Municipalities must have video monitoring on their drop boxes within 75 days of an election under a bipartisan law passed in 2020. However, because video systems cost money and take time to install, municipalities have until 2026 to add them to older drop boxes. Read the full answer here.

What safeguards exist to prevent double voting?

Voting twice in the same election in Michigan is prohibited by law and is a felony punishable by up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000. While there have been rare exceptions, election officials should be able to use the state's Qualified Voter File to prevent duplicate ballots. Last month, Attorney General Dana Nessel brought felony charges against four St. Clair Shores residents on claims they voted twice in the August primary, and three elections for allegedly allowing it to happen. Read the full answer here. 

How good are Michigan polls?

We’ll see, and results vary. Polls are snapshots in time, meaning polls gauging voter opinions weeks or months before Election Day won’t always match final results. Not all pollsters and their methodologies are the same, either, and some have a political agenda.  Read the full answer here. 

Where does Mike Rogers live and where is he registered to vote?

The Republican US Senate candidate had retired to Florida before moving back to Michigan last year. He has been building a house in White Lake Township, where he was registered to vote in the August primary but was not yet living there. Read the full answer here: 

Did Elissa Slotkin sign a “secret deal” that helped a Chinese company?

The Democratic US Senate candidate did sign a confidentiality agreement to learn about economic development projects in her district, but that agreement did not include any specific connection to a planned battery project run by Gotion, Inc., a US subsidiary of the Chinese company Gotion High-Tech. Read the full answer here. 

Where do the presidential candidates stand on the issues?

We've got you covered:

• Where Trump, Harris stand on auto industry, EVs
• Where Trump, Harris stand on immigration, border security
• Where Trump, Harris stand on economy and taxes
• Where Trump, Harris stand on Israel, Ukraine, China
• Where Trump, Harris stand on health care, drug prices
• Where Trump, Harris stand on climate, Great Lakes
• Where Trump, Harris stand on education

Why is Robert Kennedy Jr. on the ballot even though he dropped out?

Kennedy remains on Michigan’s presidential ballot because state election law doesn’t allow candidates to remove their names once a party has nominated them and it’s after the primary. He sued to try to get his name off the ballot but lost in both state and federal court. Read the full answer here. 

Can undocumented immigrants vote here?

No, undocumented immigrants cannot vote in Michigan’s 2024 election. Only US citizens are eligible to vote in any state or federal election, including in Michigan. Under federal law, a person must meet eligibility requirements multiple times during the voting process: when they register to vote, apply for an absentee ballot and when they apply for a ballot in person. And under Michigan law, it is a crime to lie on those forms. Read the full answer here. 

Are noncitizens registered to vote when obtaining state ID?

While noncitizens who are “legally present” in the country can apply for a driver license too, multiple safeguards exist to prevent them from registering to vote. The Secretary of State’s computerized license application system only allows US citizens to become registered voters. Read the full answer here. 

Does the state have “bloated” voter rolls?

Yes, Michigan has more registered voters than voting age citizens, according to US Census estimates. But no, there is no evidence that has led to election fraud. There are fewer "active voters," and the state is slated to remove roughly 600,000 inactive registrations as soon as it is allowed under federal law. Watch the full answer here. 

Do early, absentee ballots count if a voter dies?

Michigan law requires election clerks to make their "best effort" to remove and reject absentee ballots cast by voters who subsequently die before Election Day. But if they are already fed into a tabulator, those votes will count. Read the full answer here.

How can I find candidate donors, financial disclosures?

Both the state and federal government require candidates and elected officials to disclose information about their campaign finances, including donors, as well as at least some information about their personal finances.  You can find that information online, but it takes a little work. Read the full answer here. 

Where can I find what rules local election officials must follow?

Michigan's 18-chapter election manual includes specific instructions for local clerks based on existing law. The Michigan Secretary of State also provides guidance to clerks on specific issues in the run-up to an election.  Read the full answer here.