Michigan voters can change their absentee ballots after McMorrow's exit

WASHINGTON - Voters can change their votes after filing absentee ballots in Michigan if they change their minds before Election Day, but the process is not so forgiving for early voting.

The issue became especially pertinent after Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow of Royal Oak suspended her campaign on Sunday, 10 days after mail-in ballots for Aug. 4 primary contests became available.

McMorrow's name will still appear on the ballot, but she is no longer actively seeking her party's nomination for U.S. Senate. The other Democratic hopefuls are U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens of Birmingham and former Wayne County health director Abdul El-Sayed of Ann Arbor.

Registered voters can cancel or "spoil" their absentee ballot, but the procedure varies depending on how far along they are in the voting process.

Michigan state law lays out the details for those procedures, as does the Michigan Secretary of State on its website.

Voters who complete and submit an absent voter ballot by mail, in person at a local clerk's office or via drop box have the option to change their vote by spoiling their original ballot and requesting a new one.

-The deadline for spoiling a returned absentee ballot is 5 p.m. on the second Friday (in this case July 24) before the election. Michigan's primary election is on Aug. 4.

-The deadline for spoiling an unreturned absentee ballot and receiving another by mail is the Friday (in this case July 31) immediately before the election at 5 p.m.

-The deadline to spoil and receive another in-person absentee ballot is the day before the election at 4 p.m.

The Secretary of State's office also instructs in more detail on its website: "If you would like to change your vote after returning your completed and signed absentee ballot to your local clerk's office, your written and signed request must be received by your local clerk's office by 5 p.m. the second Friday before Election Day.

"Voters who wish to vote in person after obtaining an absentee ballot can do so at their early voting site or Election Day polling place if they have not already returned their absentee ballot. Voters may either submit their voted absentee ballot for tabulation at the early voting site or Election Day polling place or they may 'spoil' their absentee ballot and be issued a new ballot.

"If you have already cast your ballot at an early voting or election day polling location, your vote cannot be changed."

Individuals who cast ballots through in-person early voting are not allowed to change or spoil their submissions. When a ballot enters a tabulator device at a voting site, it cannot be altered.

No such ballots, however, have been cast for McMorrow thanks to the timing of her announcement. Monday, July 6 - the day after the state senator from Royal Oak suspended her campaign - is the first day when Michigan communities are allowed to offer in-person early voting.

"Today, I'm announcing that I am suspending my campaign for United States Senate," McMorrow said Sunday. "And I'm doing it with a deep, deep sense of gratitude. For our thousands of volunteers, for everyone who donated what you could - building a campaign with zero corporate PAC dollars.

"For my staff, who built this team up from nothing. I thank you."

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This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 4:18 PM.