Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.497 — MI Code / Chapter 168 / Act Act-116-of-1954 / Section 168.497
Application for registration; in-person or by mail or online; application; proof of residency; identification for election purposes; affidavit; execution; notice; exception.
Status: in_force

Sec. 497.

(1) An individual who is not registered to vote but possesses the qualifications of an elector as provided in section 492 may apply for registration to the clerk of the county, township, or city in which the individual resides in person, during the clerk's regular business hours, or by mail or online until the fifteenth day before an election.

(2) An individual who is not registered to vote but possesses the qualifications of an elector as provided in section 492 or an individual who is not registered to vote in the city or township in which the individual is registering to vote may apply for registration in person at the city or township clerk's office of the city or township in which the individual resides from the fourteenth day before an election and continuing through the day of the election. An individual who applies to register to vote under this subsection must provide to the city or township clerk proof of residency in that city or township. For purposes of this subsection, "proof of residency" includes, subject to subsection (3), any of the following:

(a) An operator's or chauffeur's license issued under the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923, or an enhanced driver license issued under the enhanced driver license and enhanced official state personal identification card act, 2008 PA 23, MCL 28.301 to 28.308.

(b) An official state personal identification card issued under 1972 PA 222, MCL 28.291 to 28.300, or an enhanced official state personal identification card issued under the enhanced driver license and enhanced official state personal identification card act, 2008 PA 23, MCL 28.301 to 28.308.

(3) If an applicant for voter registration under subsection (2) does not have proof of residency as that term is defined in subsection (2), the applicant may provide as the applicant's proof of residency any other form of identification for election purposes as that term is defined in section 2 and 1 of the following documents that contains the applicant's name and current residence address:

(a) A current utility bill.

(b) A current bank statement.

(c) A current paycheck, government check, or other government document.

(4) If an applicant for voter registration under subsection (2) does not have identification for election purposes, the applicant may register to vote if the applicant signs an affidavit indicating that the applicant does not have identification for election purposes and the applicant provides 1 of the following documents that contains the applicant's name and current residence address:

(a) A current utility bill.

(b) A current bank statement.

(c) A current paycheck, government check, or other government document.

(5) Immediately after approving a voter registration application, the city or township clerk shall provide to the individual registering to vote a voter registration receipt that is in a form as approved by the secretary of state.

(6) Except as otherwise provided in sections 500a to 500e and 509v, an application for registration must not be executed at a place other than the office of the county, township, or city clerk or a public place or places designated by the clerk or deputy registrar for receiving registrations, but the clerk or deputy registrar may receive an application wherever the clerk or deputy registrar may be. If a county, township, or city clerk does not regularly keep the clerk's office open daily during certain hours, the clerk is not required to be at the clerk's office for the purpose of receiving applications for registration on a particular day nor during specific hours of a day, except as provided in section 498. If an individual registers to vote with the secretary of state during the 14 days before the day of an election by mail, online, or by automatic voter registration, as described in section 493a, the individual must be given a notice on a form developed by the secretary of state informing the individual that the individual is not eligible to vote in the next election unless the individual applies in person at the individual's city or township clerk's office as provided in subsection (2). Except as provided in sections 500a to 500e, the provisions of this section relating to registration apply.

History: 1954, Act 116, Eff. June 1, 1955; Am. 1963, 2nd Ex. Sess., Act 10, Imd. Eff. Dec. 27, 1963; Am. 1967, Act 188, Eff. July 1, 1967; Am. 1968, Act 46, Imd. Eff. May 24, 1968; Am. 1973, Act 180, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 1973; Am. 1975, Act 28, Eff. July 1, 1975; Am. 1981, Act 61, Imd. Eff. June 5, 1981; Am. 1989, Act 142, Imd. Eff. June 29, 1989; Am. 2018, Act 125, Eff. Dec. 31, 2018; Am. 2018, Act 603, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 2018; Am. 2023, Act 184, Eff. Feb. 13, 2024