MI Presidential Ballot Access
Michigan Presidential Ballot Access Requirements
State-level general-election presidential ballot access requirements for Michigan, including party nomination, petition access, and write-in rules where available in the NASS summary.
Party Nomination
Political Party Nomination
A presidential candidate nominated by a political party that qualifies for general election ballot access may be placed on the general election ballot. Each political party must certify to the secretary of state no later than 1 business day after the conclusio n of the state convention the names of the candidates for presidential electors. Each political party must certify to the secretary of state not more than 1 business day after the state or national convention of the party, whichever is later, the names of the candidates for president and vice-president. A political party qualifies for ballot access at the general election if any of the party’s candidates at the last preceding general election received at least 1% of the total number of votes cast for the successful candidate for the office of secretary of state at the last p receding general election in which a secretary of state was elected. A group may form a new political party by filing with the secretary of state no later than the 100th day before the general election a petition containing the signatures of registered and qualified electors equal to not less than 1% of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for governor at the last election in which a gov ernor was elected. The petition must be signed by at least 100 registered electors in each of at least 1/2 of the congressional districts of the state.
Petition Access
Petition / Independent Candidate Access
A presidential candidate not affiliated with a political party may obtain ballot access for the general election by filing with the secretary of state no later than the 110th day before the election a petition signed by a number of qualified and registered electors of the state equal to not less than 1% of the total number of votes cast for all candidates for governor at the last election in which a governor w as elected. [note: see Michigan Secretary of State Ballot Access Information for Presidential Candidates which states that the number of valid signatures required is 30,000]. The petition must be signed by at least 100 registered electors in each of at least 1/2 of the congressional districts of the state. The candidate must certify to the secretary of state no later than 66 days before the election the names of the presidential electors.
Write-In
Write-In Rules
A write-in candidate for president must file a declaration of intent with the secretary of state no later than the second Friday imme diately preceding the election.
Legal Citations
Source Citations
- Mich. Comp. Laws §§ 168.16, 168.42, 168.532, 168.544f, 168.560a, 168.590b, 168.590c, 168.590d, 168.591, 168.685, 168.686, 168.686a, 168.737a
Source and Use
How to Read This Ballot Access Data
This reference is generated from NASS Summary: State Laws Regarding Presidential Ballot Access for the General Election.
- Primary source
- NASS ballot access summary PDF
- Coverage
- General-election presidential ballot access requirements by state, as summarized by NASS.
- Use note
- Informational reference only; verify current law with the state election office, current statutes, and legal counsel.
- These entries summarize general-election presidential ballot access rules for political party nominees, petition candidates, fee access where listed, and write-in candidacies.
- Ballot access law can change through statutes, court decisions, and state election guidance. Verify requirements with the state election office before relying on them.
- This reference does not state whether any candidate has qualified for a state ballot.
- This page is informational and is not legal advice or a filing procedure guide.