Vote From Home

The facts about voting from home before Election Day in Detroit:

All registered voters in Detroit can vote from home before Election Day — that means you!
Your vote will be counted if you vote from home before Election Day, no matter which option you choose.
You can sign up for the Permanent Mail Ballot List to receive an absentee ballot in the mail before every election.
You have options to vote from home before Election Day. The earlier you start, the more options you have.

I want to vote from home before Election Day

It’s easy to vote without leaving your home before Election Day! Make sure you begin the steps below so you can choose the most convenient option for you. Select each step below for more information.

First, get your absentee ballot as soon as possible.

Make sure you select the option to sign up for the Permanent Mail Ballot List to receive an absentee ballot in the mail before every election!

Request your ballot online here.
Call the Detroit City Clerk’s office at (313) 224-3270 and request an application for a ballot be mailed to you. Once you receive your application, mail it to the Detroit City Clerk’s office (address below).
Download a ballot application form here and mail it to the Detroit City Clerk’s office:
- Detroit City Clerk
  2 Woodward Ave #200
  Detroit, MI 48226

If you want to vote from home, we recommend that you request your absentee ballot at least 3 weeks prior to Election Day to ensure you have enough time to receive, complete, and return your ballot by the deadline.

We recommend that you request your absentee ballot for the August 4, 2026 Primary Election by July 14th and for the November 3, 2026 General Election by October 13th.

You can check to see if the Detroit City Clerk’s office has received your application and if your ballot has been mailed to you by filling out this online form.

Then, complete your ballot

Fill out your ballot
Place your ballot in the provided envelope
Sign the outside of the envelope with your official signature that matches your voter registration

Finally, return your absentee ballot by 8 PM on Election Day.

Your ballot must be received by the Detroit City Clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Place your ballot (in the provided envelope and sign the outside envelope with your official signature) in the mail. We recommend getting your ballot in the mail at least 2 weeks before Election Day.
- For the August 4, 2026 Primary Election, we recommend most voters* return their absentee ballot by mail by July 21.
- For the November 3, 2026 General Election, we recommend most voters* return their absentee ballot by mail by October 20.
- *If you’re serving in the military or living overseas, your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day and received 6 days after Election Day to count.
Drop your ballot off at the Detroit City Clerk’s office or in a secure drop box. Use the map below to find the location nearest to you.
Return your ballot at an Early Voting Site, where you must check in with a poll worker and then insert it into the tabulator. Use the map below to find the location nearest to you.
Have an immediate family member or someone who lives with you drop your ballot off at the Detroit City Clerk’s office.
Detroit voters can call the Detroit City Clerk at (313) 224-3270 before 5 p.m. on the last Friday before Election Day to request that your ballot be picked up.

You can track the status of your absentee ballot here.

What is the Permanent Mail Ballot List?

Voters can now join the Permanent Mail Ballot List, a list of voters who signed up to receive an absentee ballot in the mail before every Michigan election. If you are signed up for the Permanent Mail Ballot List, you will no longer be required to apply to receive an absentee ballot. Any Michigan voter can join the list! Just check the box next to “automatically send me an absent voter ballot for each future election for which I’m eligible” the next time you apply for an absentee ballot!

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