Michigan voters are requesting far more absentee ballots than in 2022, but completed ballot returns are growing much more slowly as the November 3 election approaches.

LANSING  — More than 861,000 Michigan voters had cast ballots by October 21, nearly two weeks before the November 3 general election, as new figures raise questions about whether the state’s expanded absentee voting system will translate into higher overall turnout.

According to the Michigan Department of State’s October 20 report, absentee ballot requests increased 17.2% compared with the same point before the 2022 midterm election.

Completed absentee ballot returns, however, were up just 2.3%.

The difference raises an important question: Are more Michigan residents participating, or are changes in voting procedures primarily shifting when and how ballots are cast?

Michigan Ballot Returns Climb Rapidly

The Secretary of State reported that 789,572 voters had cast ballots as of October 20, representing 10.7% of Michigan’s active registered voters.

That included 789,476 completed absentee ballots and 96 early in-person votes.

An October 21 report based on the state’s voting dashboard showed participation rising to 861,061, including 860,257 absentee ballots and 804 early in-person votes.

That represented an increase of 71,489 ballots from the previous day’s reported total.

Absentee ballot requests had reached approximately 2.13 million.

However, the number of ballots requested should not be confused with the number actually returned.

Why the 17% Increase Requires Context

Michigan’s October 20 figures showed 2,121,458 absentee ballot requests, compared with 1,810,569 at the equivalent point in 2022.

That represents an increase of 310,889 requests.

Completed absentee ballot returns increased from 771,967 in 2022 to 789,476 in 2026 — a gain of just 17,509 ballots.

The return rate among requested ballots was also lower than at the comparable point in 2022.MICHIGAN ABSENTEE VOTING — 2022 VS. 2026

Comparison two weeks before Election Day

Measurement 2022 2026 Change
Absentee ballots requested 1,810,569 2,121,458 +17.2%
Absentee ballots returned 771,967 789,476 +2.3%
Share of requests returned 42.6% 37.2% −5.4 percentage points

What the numbers mean:

  • Michigan recorded 310,889 more absentee ballot requests than at the comparable point in 2022.
  • Completed absentee ballot returns increased by only 17,509.
  • Approximately 94% of 2026 absentee requests came from voters on the permanent mail-ballot list.

Bottom line: More absentee ballots being issued does not necessarily mean an equivalent increase in overall voter participation.

Source: Michigan Department of State, October 20, 2026.

Permanent Absentee Ballots Change the Equation

One significant difference between the 2022 and 2026 elections is Michigan’s permanent absentee ballot system.

Following voter-approved election changes in 2022, eligible Michigan residents gained the option of automatically receiving absentee ballots for future elections.

Previously, voters generally had to submit a new absentee ballot application for each election.

Of the 2.12 million absentee ballots requested by October 20, more than 2 million were associated with voters on the permanent mail-ballot list.

That represents approximately 94% of requests.

The change makes absentee voting more convenient but complicates comparisons with earlier elections.

A voter who automatically receives a ballot has not necessarily decided whether to return it.

Consequently, an increase in absentee ballot requests cannot automatically be interpreted as an increase in voter enthusiasm or total participation.

Southeast Michigan Accounts for 41% of Requests

Michigan’s three largest counties account for a substantial share of absentee ballot activity.

According to October 21 dashboard figures, Wayne County recorded 347,773 requests, Oakland County 338,103 and Macomb County 187,606.

Together, those counties accounted for approximately 873,500 requests, or 41% of the statewide total.

Kent County reported 138,044 requests, followed by Washtenaw County with 98,467, Genesee County with 80,472 and Ingham County with 69,516.

However, raw county totals largely reflect differences in population.

Determining which communities are experiencing the greatest increases in participation requires comparing completed ballot returns with active voter registration and equivalent 2022 figures.

Michigan’s election data resources provide historical election information.

Can Michigan Exceed Its 2022 Midterm Turnout?

According to the Michigan Bureau of Elections’ official 2022 post-election audit, 4,500,400 ballots were cast in the November 2022 general election.

That represented 61.7% of active registered voters, a record for a Michigan nonpresidential election.

Of those ballots, 1,886,269 were cast absentee, accounting for approximately 42% of total turnout.

The 2026 election differs in important ways.

Michigan now offers statewide early in-person voting and expanded permanent absentee ballot delivery.

Some residents who previously voted on Election Day may now cast ballots earlier, increasing early participation without necessarily increasing final turnout.

The figures also cannot establish which candidates or political parties are benefiting. Michigan does not register voters by political party, and absentee ballot statistics do not disclose candidate preferences.

Statewide Early Voting Begins October 24

Michigan’s required statewide early in-person voting period begins Saturday, October 24, and continues through Sunday, November 1.

Early voting locations must operate for at least eight hours daily during the nine-day period.

Some jurisdictions, including East Lansing and Grand Rapids, began offering additional early voting days earlier in October.

Voters can find locations and hours at Michigan.gov/EarlyVoting.

State election officials are also urging residents who already have completed absentee ballots to return them promptly, preferably by hand, to avoid possible postal delays.

For most voters, completed absentee ballots must reach election officials by 8 p.m. November 3.

What the Numbers Tell Us

Michigan’s early voting figures show that hundreds of thousands of residents are participating before Election Day.

They also demonstrate that permanent absentee ballot delivery has become a major component of the state’s election system.

But higher absentee ballot requests do not necessarily mean higher overall turnout.

The clearest measures will come from completed absentee ballot returns, early in-person participation and Election Day voting.

For now, Michigan’s election data reveal extensive early participation — but not yet a definitive increase in total voter turnout.

COMING FRIDAY ON MITECHNEWS: Is Your Absentee Ballot at Risk of Arriving Too Late?

Michigan election officials are urging voters to use official ballot drop boxes or deliver completed absentee ballots directly to local clerks rather than risk postal delays. The U.S. Postal Service says it is prepared to handle election mail, but timing matters as the November 3 deadline approaches.

Friday’s MITechNews report examines USPS delivery recommendations, Michigan’s ballot receipt deadlines, and how voters can make sure their absentee ballots arrive in time to be counted.