Early & absentee voting

Current understanding

Rules implementing Michigan’s early-voting and absentee provisions.

Evidence log

• 2026-06-26 — Republican National Committee v. Secretary of State: Michigan Court of Appeals issued an opinion in Republican National Committee v. Secretary of State, an RNC-brought challenge with implications for election administration; specific bearing on early/absentee voting mechanics depends on the precise holding. (novelty: 3)
• 2026-06-16 — Elections: voting procedures; voter access and assistance provisions; provide for. Amends secs. 726, 736 & 751 of 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.726 et seq.); adds secs. 653c, 653d, 653e, 726a & 753a & repeals sec. 579 of 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.579). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0961’26, SB 0963’26: SB0964 (passed one chamber), tie-barred to SB0961 and SB0963, would amend MCL 168.726, 168.736 & 168.751, add secs. 653c, 653d, 653e, 726a & 753a, and repeal sec. 579 of 1954 PA 116 — expanding voter access and assistance provisions and modifying voting procedures that intersect with early and absentee ballot handling. (novelty: 3)
• 2026-06-16 — Elections: other; voting and elections database and institute act; create. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: SB 0961’26, SB 0963’26: SB0962 (passed one chamber), tie-barred to SB0961 (State Voting Rights Act) and SB0963, would create a Voting and Elections Database and Institute Act — potential downstream data infrastructure supporting analysis of absentee and early-voting patterns depending on the institute’s scope. (novelty: 3)
• 2026-06-16 — Elections: voters; state voting rights act; create. Creates new act & repeals 1969 PA 161 (MCL 691.1031). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0962’26, SB 0963’26, SB 0964’26: SB0961 (passed one chamber) creating a Michigan State Voting Rights Act may establish new statutory protections relevant to absentee and early-voting access, though specific provisions depend on the tie-barred package (SB0962–SB0964’26). (novelty: 4)
• 2026-06-23 — Elections: absent voters; no reason absentee voting; eliminate, and require electors to provide a reason to vote an absent voter ballot. Amends secs. 2, 509aa, 759, 759a & 761 of 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.2 et seq.); adds sec. 758 & repeals secs. 6, 759e, 759f & 759g of 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.6 et seq).: SB1054 (introduced) would eliminate no-reason absentee voting by amending MCL 168.2, 509aa, 759, 759a & 761, adding sec. 758, and repealing secs. 6, 759e, 759f & 759g of 1954 PA 116 — requiring electors to state a qualifying reason to receive an absent voter ballot, a rollback of the framework established by Prop 3 (2018). (novelty: 3)
• 2026-06-17 — Elections: other; retention of electronic poll book flash drives; require. Amends sec. 811 of 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.811).: HB5845 (passed one chamber) would amend MCL 168.811 to require retention of electronic poll book flash drives — relevant because e-poll books are used to process early and absentee ballots at polling locations. (novelty: 2)

Open questions

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