How to hold a voter registration drive in Michigan

Voter registration drives are a great way to help your community be involved in the electoral process.

If you’re looking for a way to make an impact this election season, consider holding a voter registration drive. Voter registration drives are exactly what they sound like: An event where you or a group help people in your community who still need to register to vote and fill out their voter application.

These drives play a crucial role in strengthening our communities by helping ensure that every eligible citizen has the opportunity to participate in the electoral process. These drives help close the gap in voter turnout by making registration accessible, especially for underrepresented and marginalized communities.

Ready to get started? Here’s what you need to know.

Getting started

For starters, in Michigan, individuals, organizations, or entities are not required to register or attend some sort of training to run a voter registration drive. There is also no age, residency, or citizenship requirement to run or assist with a voter registration drive. Lastly, Michigan does not have notification requirements for registration drives, meaning you don’t have to file documentation or let the state know you’re holding a drive.

However, there are some rules you need to be aware of.

Per the Michigan Secretary of State:

• Voter registration drives may not compensate individuals registering persons to vote based on the total number of persons registered, or the total number of persons registered to vote in a particular political party. Violation of this provision of Michigan law is a felony.
• Voter registration drives may not compensate individuals or provide any incentive considered “payment” for registering to vote or for voting. Violation of this provision of Michigan law is a felony.
• Individuals registering persons to vote may not fill in any missing or incomplete information on a registration form themselves.

What you’ll need

There are several ways to get people registered at your drive:

Printed voter registration application:

Printed voter registration application forms are available at Michigan.gov/Vote by selecting “Register” from the top menu (or quickly find it here). Voter registration applications are available in English, Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish. The federal mail-in voter registration application may also be used in voter registration drives and must be accepted by the Secretary of State.

To register to vote using a printed voter registration form, an individual must provide:  

• A Michigan driver’s license or ID number

OR

• The last 4 digits of your Social Security number

Online voter registration application:

An online voter registration application is available at Michigan.gov/Vote by selecting “Register to vote online.” Michigan residents can register to vote online 15 or more days prior to Election Day at this site.

To register to vote online, you must have both:

• A Michigan driver’s license or ID number

AND

• The last 4 digits of your Social Security number

Are you ready to vote? Make sure to check your voter registration status, see who’s on your ballot, and make a voting plan here.

Where and how to hold a drive

The best place to hold a voter registration drive is where you’re likely to encounter people walking by.

The League of Women Voters recommends:

• Transit hubs/neighborhood gathering places
• Schools (high schools, community colleges, technical schools, vocational/alternative schools)
• Community/sporting events
• Places frequented by recent movers

Once you’ve established a location, be sure to have the following items ready for a successful drive:

• Voter registration forms and clipboards
• Pens for writing
• Equipment for online registering
• Signs telling people they can register to vote there
• Extra forms that people can give to friends and family

Last but not least, make sure to be personable and call out to folks passing by to get their attention by asking if they need to register to vote!

Who is eligible to register

Michigan residents are eligible to vote if they are:

• A Michigan resident (at the time you register) and a resident of your city or township for at least 30 days (when you vote)
• A United States citizen
• At least 18 years of age
• Not currently serving a sentence in state or federal prison

After the drive

A completed paper voter registration application returned to a local election clerk by a person other than the individual registering to vote must be submitted to the clerk 15 or more days before Election Day for the registration to take effect for the upcoming election. Completed forms may be emailed, mailed, or hand-delivered to an election clerk.

To determine which election clerk should receive a form, look up the home address listed on the voter registration application at Michigan.gov/Vote by selecting “Your Clerk.”

Note: Individuals registering 14 or fewer days before Election Day must register to vote in person at their designated election clerk’s office and must provide proof of residency in order to participate in the upcoming election.