If your Michigan absentee ballot is lost or never arrived, contact your city or township clerk and submit a signed written request to spoil the ballot already issued and provide a replacement. Michigan’s official term is “absent voter ballot.” The deadline and whether you can receive the new ballot by mail depend on how close it is to Election Day.
Find your clerk and check the ballot’s status
Use Michigan’s absentee-voting page to find your local city or township clerk and check ballot status. Contact the clerk promptly if the ballot is lost, has not arrived, or its status is unclear. A replacement is handled by the clerk, not ordered from a commercial vendor.
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If your ballot is lost or never arrived
Submit a signed written request asking the clerk to spoil the ballot issued to you and issue or mail a replacement. Michigan’s official Request to Spoil Absent Voter Ballot form describes this process. The state also explains the lost- or undelivered-ballot procedure on its First-time voters page.
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Request received by 5 p.m. Friday before Election Day
If the clerk receives your request by 5 p.m. on the Friday immediately before Election Day, you may ask for the replacement to be mailed or vote it in person at the clerk’s office. Confirm any Sunday or legal-holiday qualification with the clerk. If you choose mail, leave enough time for delivery and return.
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After 5 p.m. Friday and before 4 p.m. the day before Election Day
You must go to the clerk’s office and make the written request in person. You must vote the replacement there; you cannot take it home. Because the window is short, contact the clerk before traveling to confirm office arrangements.
On Election Day
If your ballot is lost or never arrived and you cannot get a replacement in time, go to your assigned polling place. You can complete the Affidavit of Lost or Destroyed Absent Voter Ballot and cast a regular ballot. Election officials may permit a properly credentialed challenger to challenge the affidavit voter, as described in the state’s Election Officials Manual, Chapter 6.
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If you already returned the ballot and want to change it
This is a different process from replacing a lost or undelivered ballot. To spoil an already-returned ballot, the clerk must receive your signed written request by 5 p.m. on the second Friday before Election Day. Once the ballot has been tabulated, it cannot be spoiled or changed. See the state’s early in-person voting FAQ and absentee-voting guidance.
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If your ballot was rejected because of its signature
Follow Michigan’s signature cure guidelines and contact your clerk promptly. The state says a written request to spoil the rejected ballot and issue a replacement must be received by 5 p.m. two Fridays before Election Day. The signature-cure form has its own deadline and delivery options; do not use the lost-ballot deadlines for this situation.
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Make sure a mailed ballot can arrive in time
For most voters, a mailed absentee ballot must reach the local clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day to count. A replacement mailed close to the election may not arrive in time, so check its status through Michigan’s absentee-voting page and ask the clerk about your options. Military and overseas voters have different return rules.
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- Compact Size: Envelopes #9 compact dimensions - 3 7/8"x8 7/8" or 9.84x20.32 cm. Fit a 3-folded piece of 8 1/2"x11" piece of paper perfectly. They also fit neatly inside #10 envelopes, eliminating the need for folding when sending return envelopes.
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- Optimal Quantity: 100 pack of #9 mailing envelopes is perfect for regular use without the need for excessive spending on bulk 500 packs. It enables you to try different envelope types and sizes to find the best option for your home & business needs.
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