Do I have to fill out the entire ballot? What to know about Michigan

On November 1, 2024By Littum

This story is one in a Lansing State Journal Q&A series about the upcoming election. Do you have questions about voting, polls or results? Ask it in the form at the bottom of this story. We give you the answer.

Q: Do I have to complete the entire ballot?

Voters will have about two dozen races on their ballots, ranging from presidential to county raises, but they don’t have to vote in every race for the ballot to be accepted.

Eligible voters have the right to vote — or not vote — in each race on their ballot. And while whether someone voted is public information, who they voted for or how many races they voted in is not.

Voters who wish to cast a ballot in each race and vote absentee should carefully review their ballot before depositing it in a drop box or returning it to their local clerk.

For voters who cast their ballots in person, either at an early voting center or on Election Day, there are additional measures to prevent someone from accidentally voting in too few or too many races.

The tabulators are programmed to notify voters if their ballot contains an undervote, such as skipping some races, or an overvote, such as voting for more than the allowed candidates in a race. Voters can then indicate whether they want to correct the issue or cast their vote as is.

What do I need to bring to vote?

Voters casting an in-person ballot will be asked to show ID when they check in at the early voting center or polling place.

Acceptable IDs include:

Michigan driver’s license or state ID, which may be expired
American passport
Military photo ID
Photo ID from an educational institution
Tribal photo ID
Driver’s license or state ID issued by another state
Federal, state or local government issued photo ID

If voters do not have an ID, they can still vote, but an election official will ask them to sign a form before casting their vote.