Yes. A person with a felony conviction can vote in Michigan the moment they are released from jail or prison. Michigan law takes away the right to vote only while you are physically confined serving a sentence, so if you are on parole, on probation, or have finished your sentence entirely, you are eligible to vote right now.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 168 – Voting by Persons Confined in Jail or Prison Prohibited No pardon, no court order, no special application.
When You Can and Cannot Vote
The only period you cannot vote in Michigan is while you are serving a sentence inside a jail or prison. The bar attaches to the physical confinement, not to the broader sentence.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 168 – Voting by Persons Confined in Jail or Prison Prohibited A few situations people often get wrong:
- Sentenced to probation with no jail time: you never lost your voting rights.
- Released on parole: your voting rights returned the day you walked out of the facility.
- Sitting in jail awaiting trial or sentencing, not yet convicted: you are still eligible to vote and can request an absentee ballot from jail.
Michigan draws the line at the prison door. States that extend restrictions through parole, probation, or a waiting period after sentence completion are following a different rule; Michigan is not one of them.
Automatic Registration After Prison
Since late 2023, you may already be registered without having done anything. Under a law signed by Governor Whitmer in November 2023, the Michigan Department of Corrections automatically registers people to vote when they leave prison. The system sends a mailer to your home address after release. If you do not want to be registered, you return the mailer. Otherwise, registration goes through automatically. Michigan was the first state in the country to adopt this approach.
If you were released before that law took effect, or if the mailer never reached you, you register the same way any other Michigan resident does.
How to Register
To register you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old by Election Day, and a resident of your city or township for at least 30 days before the election.2Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 168 – Qualifications for Registration as Elector You also cannot currently be serving a sentence in jail or prison.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 168 – Voting by Persons Confined in Jail or Prison Prohibited
You have three ways to sign up:
- Online at Michigan.gov/Vote, if you have a valid Michigan driver’s license or state ID.
- By mail, by printing a registration application and sending it to your local city or township clerk.
- In person at any Secretary of State branch office, your local clerk’s office, or certain state agencies.
Online and mail registration close 15 days before Election Day. After that, you can still register in person at your city or township clerk’s office through 8 p.m. on Election Day. Bring a document showing your name and current address.
How to Cast Your Ballot
Once registered, you have three ways to vote.
Early In-Person Voting
Early voting runs at least nine consecutive days, from the second Saturday before the election through the Sunday before Election Day, with polls open at least eight hours each day. Starting in 2026, jurisdictions may add the Monday before the election, with polls closing by 4 p.m. that day.3Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 168 – Section 168.720b
Absentee Voting
Every registered voter in Michigan can request an absentee ballot without giving a reason. The Michigan Constitution guarantees this right during the 40 days before an election.4Michigan Legislature. Michigan Constitution – Article II Section 4 You can return the ballot by mail, through a secure drop box, or in person at your clerk’s office.
Election Day
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You vote at the polling place assigned to your registered address.
What If You Do Not Have Photo ID
Voting in person, whether early or on Election Day, you will be asked for photo identification. If you do not have one, you are not turned away. You sign an affidavit confirming your identity and vote a regular ballot.5Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 168 – Section 168.523 This matters for people leaving incarceration with expired or missing ID; it should not stop you from voting.
Penalty for Voting When You Are Not Eligible
Voting or attempting to vote while knowing you are ineligible is a felony in Michigan, punishable by up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000.6Michigan Legislature. Michigan Code 168 – Section 168.932a The statute turns on willfulness; an honest mistake is treated differently from knowingly casting a ballot while serving a sentence. If you have any doubt, confirm your status before voting. Your local clerk can check your registration, and you can look it up at Michigan.gov/Vote.