MOVE deadline for May

Both federal law and the Michigan Constitution require that, no later than 45 days before the election, clerks transmit ballots to MOVE voters who have applied for ballots prior to the 45-day deadline. The deadline to transmit ballots for the May 7, 2024, election is Saturday, March 23, 2024.  This deadline always falls on a Saturday and requires strict compliance, meaning that, unlike other deadlines in the Election Law, the Saturday MOVE deadline does not get bumped back to Monday.  You must transmit ballots by the Saturday deadline.  The QVF Helpdesk will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 to assist clerks with questions about utilizing the QVF to issue MOVE ballots. 

If something occurs in your jurisdiction that prohibits you from meeting this deadline (for example, litigation delays or ballot printing), please email BOE’s Regulatory Section at BOERegulatory@Michigan.gov as soon as possible.

Download the MOVE Compliance Report

To avoid missing the MOVE deadline, there are many tools available in QVF – including a report which details every MOVE voter in your jurisdiction. The information in the report is populated by the information you have entered in the individual voter’s QVF profile. You can find it under Reports tab, titled “Military and Overseas Voter Compliance Report.”

Verify the information on the MOVE Compliance Report

Once you have located the Compliance Report, ensure that every MOVE voter is properly entered into QVF. If you have a MOVE voter who does not appear on the spreadsheet, then the MOVE status in the voter’s profile needs to be updated.  A voter appearing on this report is currently registered as a MOVE voter. If the voter is an overseas civilian that has returned to the U.S., you should clear their UOCAVA status. Otherwise, the voter should receive a ballot. All requests for a MOVE ballot submitted on or after Nov. 7, 2023, are valid for every election in 2024. In other words, MOVE voters are not required to submit a separate request for each election in 2024. 

Note that with the passage of Proposal 2022-2, all voters (including MOVE voters) may now complete a single application in order to obtain a mailed absent voter ballot for all future elections. However, MOVE voters should submit a federal postcard application (FPCA), or other application, each year to ensure MOVE protections can be properly fulfilled and to allow enough time for the ballot to be returned.

What happens if the deadline is missed?

For all timely requested ballots, if you send a MOVE ballot late, the MOVE/UOCAVA voter is provided with an extension of time equivalent to the number of days the clerk was late in delivering the ballot, so long as the ballot is postmarked by Election Day. The MOVE ballots received during the extension period shall be counted and tabulated in the final results. MCL 168.759a(16).   

Update your contact information

After the deadline, BOE staff will review this report and reach out to local clerks to troubleshoot any issues that may have occurred. You may also receive a call from your county clerk. Please make sure you are checking your email that has been provided in eLearning or update it if necessary.   

Be sure to contact us with any questions you may have. We are here to support you, so if you are running into problems, do not hesitate to email BOE's Regulatory Section at BOERegulatory@Michigan.gov.

Changes to EV plans

Countywide EV plans covering state and federal elections for 2024 and 2025 were submitted to BOE in 2023. Those plans included copies of each EV plan that was submitted to the county—those providing EV as single municipalities and those providing EV under municipal or county agreements.

Following the Presidential Primary, we understand that some would like to adjust their hours and locations and other items. Any changes to single municipality/ municipal/ county plans should be submitted to Elections@Michigan.gov to ensure BOE has the most updated information. Additionally, changes to single municipality and municipal plans should be submitted to the applicable county clerk. 

The plan templates are linked in the previous paragraph. Please ensure that any revisions to EV plans contain the information required by section 720h(3) of Michigan election law.

Early absent voter ballot processing deadlines for May election

April 9 - Clerks intending to process or tabulate AV ballots before Election Day must submit written notice to the Secretary of State by completing the Early Tabulation Declaration form in eLearning.

 April 19 – Deadline to post notice on website (if available) and in clerk's office of the location, dates, hours, and number of election inspectors for AV counting place if processing and tabulating AV ballots before Election Day.

 April 26 - Deadline for clerks processing and tabulating AV ballots before Election Day to post revised notice of location, dates, hours, or number of election inspectors if needed.

 April 29 - Cities or townships with a population of at least 5,000 may begin processing and tabulating AV ballots.

 May 6 - Any city or township may begin processing and tabulating AV ballots.

 For processing instructions, see the “Early Absent Voter Ballot Processing and Tabulating Guide” in the eLearning Center.

Accessibility spotlight

BOE is continuing to feature a series of videos, events, links, and articles designed to increase familiarity with general accessibility requirements and best practices.

As election officials, it is critical that we support all individuals’ right to vote and provide the necessary resources to help voters feel more engaged and confident.

We believe that this series will be educational and help us all continue to ensure that everyone can vote privately and independently whether they vote at a polling place or at home. We encourage you to review the previous accessibility spotlights and use these videos in your trainings.

In a repeat of our ninth installment, we are featuring a webinar entitled Accessibility and Elections: How to Better Serve Voters with Disabilities. This webinar is hosted by The Elections Group and will take place on March 21 at 12 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. A panel of experts will discuss accessibility and elections, and the important role that election administrators play in creating an inclusive voting environment. Webinar registration link.