MICHIGAN IS HOLDING ITS CRUCIAL MIDTERM ELECTIONS – MAKE SURE YOUR VOICE IS HEARD!
What elections are there in Michigan? What am I voting for?
Voting has never been more important and your vote is crucial!
Michigan will hold its Midterm elections for US Representatives as well as state-wide offices for Governor, Lt Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Supreme Court and your State Representatives and State Senators.
All Michigan overseas voters can vote in these important elections!
Please vote for all the races on your ballot – Michigan state elections are hugely important! State governments are responsible for voting and state policies on abortion and reproductive rights, climate change, education, and so many other issues that affect us no matter where we are in the world.
It’s vital to keep Michigan Democratic! Vote to re-elect Democrats Gov Gretchen Witmer, Secy of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel. And we have an excellent chance to take control of one or both houses in the Michigan State Legislature – we only need to flip 3 seats in the House and 4 seats in the Senate.
Michiganders can now vote on two important ballot initiatives! Reproductive Freedom For All, to secure the right to choose in Michigan, and Promote the Vote 2022, to protect the right to vote by, among other things, requiring that overseas ballots be counted if the ballot is postmarked by election day (currently, ballots must be received in Michigan by the close of polls on election day).
And it's so important that Democrats hold onto -- and possibly expand -- their 4-3 majority on the Michigan Supreme Court! Two of the seats, one currently held by a Democrat and the other by a Republican, are up for election. Five candidates are vying, and the top 2 will win the 8 year terms. Be sure to vote for BOTH of the Democratic nominees: Richard Bernstein (incumbent) and Kyra Harris Bolden. For more information, please click here.
Want to join the Democrats Abroad Michigan State Team? If you’d like more info on DA’s efforts for Michigan, write to: [email protected] or click here
1) Register to Vote and Request Your Ballot Today
It's easy to request your ballot – and your ballot request covers all elections in 2022, including any possible Runoffs or Special Elections.
Go to www.votefromabroad.org and follow the prompts to fill out the form to request your ballot, the Federal Post Card Application form (FPCA). (If needed, it will also serve as a voter registration.) To ensure you receive your ballot in time, please check the box on the FPCA to have your blank ballot sent to you by “Email/Online” or “Fax”.
You can send in your FPCA to your local election office in Michigan by email (recommended) or fax or mail:
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If you are registered to vote, you MUST still send in an FPCA to request your ballot in 2022 to vote in this election. To receive a ballot by email, your FPCA must be received by November 5, 2022, at 2pm Michigan time.
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If you are NOT registered to vote, your FPCA must be received by November 8, 2022.
You can check your voter registration status online using: https://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index
You may need to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to connect to this website from outside the US. For more information about how to use a VPN, please click here.
2) When You Get Your Ballot, Fill It Out and Mail It Back Right Away
Ballots started going out on September 24, 2022. If you asked for your ballot by email, be sure to check your spam folder and any secondary inboxes.
When you get your ballot, fill it out and mail it back right away. You must return your ballot by mail and it must be received in Michigan by November 8, at 8pm Michigan time.
For ideas on how to mail your ballot back by the deadline, please click here
And to contact DA volunteers in the country you're living in now for specific ideas for mailing back your ballot, please click here to go to the DA page for your country.
3) Send in a Backup Ballot Now
You don’t need to wait until ballots come out in late September! If you have any concerns that your ballot won’t make it back in time to meet the deadline, you can send in a Backup Ballot NOW.
The Backup Ballot (the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot, or FWAB) is only for overseas voters and protects your right to vote in case your official ballot doesn't arrive in time. For detailed information how to use the Backup Ballot, please click here
When you use the Backup Ballot for a federal election, the website will indicate the candidates for US House in your Congressional District.
And you can also use the Backup Ballot for state elections, but you will need to add those to the “Write In Candidates” section. You can use this website to find the candidates in your jurisdiction: http://ballotpedia.org/Sample_Ballot_Lookup
In the "Write in Candidates" block, type in the name of the office. Then type in either the candidate’s name or “Democrat.”
4) Confirm That Your Ballot Was Accepted and Counted
After you send in your ballot, make sure your vote is counted!
You can check your ballot status online using: http://mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index
You may need to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to connect to this website from outside the US. For more information about how to use a VPN, please click here.
Or, you can email or call your local election office directly. You can find the contact information at: www.votefromabroad.org/states/MI; scroll down to "Find Your Election Office"
And if there is a problem with your ballot, you may be able to fix it – but the fix must be received by November 8, at 8pm Michigan time. The earlier you send in your ballot, the more time you’ll have!
NEED HELP? EMAIL US AT [email protected]
Want to join the Democrats Abroad Michigan State Team?
Write to: [email protected] or click here