Mich. Comp. Laws § 168.496a — MI Code / Chapter 168 / Act Act-116-of-1954 / Section 168.496a
Preregistration requirements; age 16; application; processing and transfer of application; considered registered elector at 17.5 years of age; qualified voter file notification; public education and outreach campaign.
Status: in_force

Sec. 496a.

(1) An individual may preregister to vote if the individual meets all of the following requirements:

(a) Is at least 16 years of age but less than 17-1/2 years of age.

(b) Is a citizen of the United States.

(c) Is a resident of this state.

(d) Is a resident of the city or township in which the applicant is applying for preregistration.

(2) An individual may preregister to vote using any method of voter registration available. The method of voter registration used by an individual who is at least 16 years of age but less than 17-1/2 years of age must be considered an application to preregister to vote rather than an application for voter registration, and the individual, if eligible, must be preregistered to vote.

(3) If an individual preregisters to vote at a secretary of state's office or on the department of state's website, the secretary of state shall transmit the electronic data for that individual's application to preregister to vote to the qualified voter file. If an individual preregisters to vote at the city or township clerk's office or by mail, the city or township clerk shall, immediately after receiving the application to preregister to vote, transmit the electronic data for that individual's application to preregister to vote to the qualified voter file. If an individual preregisters to vote at a location or in a manner not provided for in this subsection, the individual processing that application to preregister to vote must transmit that application to preregister to vote in the manner prescribed by the secretary of state. An individual who is preregistered to vote must be explicitly designated in the qualified voter file as preregistered to vote.

(4) If an individual who preregisters to vote changes the address that appears on that individual's driver license, enhanced driver license, official state personal identification card, or enhanced official state personal identification card, the secretary of state must change the preregistration to vote address for that individual.

(5) The records for individuals who are preregistered to vote under this section must be maintained, updated, and canceled in accordance with the procedures for maintaining, updating, and canceling records of individuals who are registered to vote.

(6) An individual who is preregistered to vote becomes a registered elector at 17-1/2 years of age and is eligible to vote in the first election that occurs on or after the date the individual becomes 18 years of age. If an individual will be 18 years of age on or before the date of an election, the individual may use any method of voting in that election, including any method of voting that occurs before election day.

(7) At each election, the qualified voter file must include on the precinct voter registration lists, including those precinct voter registration lists used at early voting sites, the names of all registered individuals who will be 18 years of age on or before the date of the election. The qualified voter file must not include on a precinct voter registration list for an election the name of an individual who will not be 18 years of age on or before the date of the election.

(8) When an individual who is preregistered to vote becomes 17-1/2 years of age, the qualified voter file must generate a notification to the appropriate city or township clerk of the city or township where that individual is preregistered to vote directing the city or township clerk to send a voter identification card to that individual who is preregistered to vote. The city or township clerk who receives a notification under this subsection must send a voter identification card to the individual who is preregistered to vote and must add that individual to the master file.

(9) The secretary of state and the department of education shall annually coordinate a public education and outreach campaign to ensure that individuals who are at least 16 years of age but less than 18 years of age, and who are eligible to preregister to vote under this section or who are eligible to register to vote under section 492, are informed of the opportunity and available methods to preregister to vote or register to vote. In addition, the department of education shall ensure that materials for voter registration and preregistration to vote are available to pupils in each public high school in this state. As used in this subsection:

(a) "Public high school" means a public school that offers at least 1 of grades 9 to 12.

(b) "Public school" means that term as defined in section 5 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.5.

(10) No later than June 1, 2024, and no later than March 1 of each year after 2024, the secretary of state shall identify individuals who are at least 16 years of age and less than 18 years of age who have applied for an operator's or chauffeur's license under the Michigan vehicle code, 1949 PA 300, MCL 257.1 to 257.923, an official state personal identification card under 1972 PA 222, MCL 28.291 to 28.300, or an enhanced driver license or enhanced official state personal identification card under the enhanced driver license and enhanced official state personal identification card act, 2008 PA 23, MCL 28.301 to 28.308, and who are not registered or preregistered to vote, but who are eligible to preregister to vote under this section or eligible to register to vote under section 492. No later than July 1, 2024, and no later than April 1 of each year after 2024, the secretary of state shall contact each individual identified in this subsection and provide information to that individual on the opportunity and available methods to preregister to vote or register to vote.

History: Add. 2023, Act 258, Eff. Feb. 13, 2024