How to Spoil Your Ballot in Michigan
- If a voter wants to change their vote but has already returned their absentee ballot to their local clerk?
- You have until 5 p.m. on Friday, July 24 to submit a signed, written request to your city or township clerk to spoil (cancel) your original absentee ballot and receive a new one. We recommend submitting this request in person at your clerk's office so you can pick up your new ballot right away. If that's not possible, you can submit this request by mail but it must be received by your clerk by the deadline (5 p.m. on July 24).
- Find your local clerk: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index/#yourclerk <OR> go to mi.gov/vote and select “Where are my clerk’s offices?”
- If a voter wants to change their vote and still has their absentee ballot (they have not returned their ballot to their local clerk)? You have options!
- Option 1: They can submit a signed, written request to their local clerk by mail. We recommend submitting this request no later than Tuesday, July 14 to ensure they have enough time to receive it and vote a new one.
- Find your local clerk: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index/#yourclerk <OR> go to mi.gov/vote and select “Where are my clerk’s offices?”
- Option 2: They can go in-person to their city or township clerk's office by 4 p.m. on Monday, August 3 and submit a signed, written request to spoil (cancel) their original absentee ballot and vote a new ballot.
- Find your local clerk: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index/#yourclerk <OR> go to mi.gov/vote and select “Where are my clerk’s offices?”
- Option 3: They can go in-person to their early voting site or polling place on Election Day (August 4) and sign a simple form to spoil (cancel) their original absentee ballot and receive a new ballot to vote on site.
- Find your early voting site: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index#early-voting-search-section <OR> go to mi.gov/vote and select “Where do I go to Early Vote?”
- Find your Election Day polling place: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index <OR> go to mi.gov/vote and select “Where is my polling place?”
Additional Resources:
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Can voters who have already cast their ballot early change their vote?
If you would like to change your vote after returning your completed and signed absentee ballot to your local clerk's office, your written and signed request must be received by your local clerk’s office by 5 p.m. the second Friday before Election Day (July 24).
Voters who wish to vote in person after obtaining an absentee ballot can do so at their early voting site or Election Day polling place if they have not already returned their absentee ballot. Voters may either submit their voted absentee ballot for tabulation at the early voting site or Election Day polling place or they may “spoil” their absentee ballot and be issued a new ballot
If you have already cast your ballot at an early voting or election day polling location, your vote cannot be changed.
