Prospective voters have until Oct. 24 to register to vote online, and people who wish to register after that date have to do so in person at their township or city office. 

Want to vote in the 2022 midterm election but you are unsure of your voter registration status? There are several ways to check.

Michigan voters can go to the Michigan Secretary of State website at mvic.sos.state.mi.us to make sure they are registered to vote at their current address.

They can also call the clerk for the township or city they live in and ask about their status, according to Tammy Bowers, clerk for Benzie County.

There are a variety of reasons a person may need to change their registration in order to vote in the state, according to Bowers.

People who have moved to Michigan from another state or moved to a new township or city will need to update their registration.

People who moved to a new address within the same city or township they’re already registered in will only have to change their address.

People who have recently changed their name or want to change their political affiliation of record also have to update their registration.

"Any reason a person would change their name on their driver's license, such a marriage or a legal name change, that's when they'd have to update their voter registration," Bowers said. "The name that appears on their driver's license has to be the same as the name on the qualified voter list." 

People who are registered to vote at a previous address can still vote at the assigned polling place for that address.

There are several ways to register to vote or update voting registration information, according to Bowers.

New voters or voters who want to update their registration can visit mvic.sos.state.mi.us/RegisterVoter to register or update their information online. Bowers said the deadline to update online Oct. 24.

People can also register or update their registration by mail through Oct. 24 by visiting mvic.sos.state.mi.us. The registration form must be postmarked by Oct. 24. The form can be found online at mvic.sos.state.mi.us.

According to Michigan.gov, to be eligible to register to vote in Michigan, a person must be a Michigan resident at the time they register and have been a resident of the city and township in which they live for at least 30 days.

They must also be a United States citizen, at least 18 years old and not currently serving a sentence in jail or prison.

New voters and those updating their registration will need proof of their address, which can include at Michigan driver’s license or state ID card, current utility bill, bank statement or paycheck or government check, according to Michigan.gov.

Bowers said people can also register to vote or update their voter registration at the Benzie County Clerk’s office, a secretary of state’s office and at the office of the city or township in which they live.

After Oct. 24, people who want to register to vote will have to register in person at their township clerk’s office. In-person registration can be done until 8 p.m. on Nov. 8, the day of the election.

While write-in candidates have until Oct. 28 to file their declaration of intent, most of the positions that will appear on the ballot have been decided by the Aug. 2 primary election.  

Positions at the federal and state level to appear on the Nov. 8 ballot include U.S. House of Representatives, Michigan Senate and House, governor and state supreme court.

Locally, candidates for township and village offices, library board members, school board members and some township positions also will be on the ballot Nov. 8, according to Bowers.

I grew up in Frankfort enjoying the lakes and streams of the Benzie County area. I started school at Northwestern Michigan College and finished at Central Michigan University. I enjoy walking, fishing and reading.