Voters with disabilities can contact the Michigan Bureau of Elections Ombudsperson for Accessible Elections for assistance.
Email: MDOS-ADAVoting@Michigan.gov Phone: 517-335-2730
More information on accessible elections and voting is available at Michigan.gov/Vote.
Go to Michigan.gov/Vote
If you require assistance casting a ballot, you may ask another person to assist you in completing it. This person cannot be:
All voters, including voters with disabilities, have access to a Voter Assist Terminal (VAT) at all polling places.
The VAT marks the ballot with the voter's choice but doesn’t tally or tabulate their vote. Once the ballot is marked, it is counted using the same method for all other ballots.
Counties decide which voting equipment system will be used in their local communities. While voting equipment varies depending on where you live and are registered to vote, all Michigan counties will use one of three systems:
A list of voting equipment by county is available at Michigan.gov/Vote.
Information about voting equipment
Voter accessibility equipment video playlist
If you have a disability that prevents you from being able to vote by absentee ballot privately and independently, you can request an accessible, electronic absentee ballot.
The accessible absentee ballot allows voters to mark the documents on an electronic device, using their own assistive technology, without visiting a polling place or clerk's office.
To request an accessible absentee ballot, visit Michigan.gov/Vote or contact your local clerk to obtain and submit an accessible absentee ballot application online, by mail, or at your clerk’s office.
Once you receive your accessible absentee ballot and have completed it electronically, print it from your device to return by mail, at a designated drop box, or in person to your local clerk’s office.
You can request an accessible absentee ballot up 40 days ahead of an election and may submit your request up to 5 p.m. the Friday before Election Day. To avoid the potential for mailing delays, it is strongly recommended that you request your absentee ballot no later than 14 days before an election. If you plan to return your absentee ballot by mail, it is also advised that you do so as early as possible and at least two weeks before Election Day.
If you’d like to automatically receive an accessible absentee ballot application before every election, sign up for the Permanent Accessible Absentee Voter list with your local clerk’s office.
Request an accessible absentee ballot
Locate your local clerk’s office
Options to vote early
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How to register to vote
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Ready for November - Accessible voting: Ensuring every voice is heard
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How to request an absentee ballot
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Learn about the Michigan Voter Information Center
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The Michigan Department of State coordinates American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters by request for deaf, deaf/blind, and hard-of-hearing residents ahead of their Secretary of State office visit.
To request that an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter join you at an upcoming appointment, complete the ASL Interpreter Request form at Michigan.gov/SOSASL. Requests should be submitted at least two weeks before the date of your preferred office visit.
If you are completing a mechanic’s test, your ASL interpreter cannot be a current or formerly licensed mechanic, repair facility owner, or certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).
If you are legally blind or your license was revoked, suspended, or denied because of a cognitive or physical condition that affects your ability to drive, you qualify to receive an ID at no charge.
If you are legally blind and would like to apply for a no-fee ID, visit a Secretary of State office to provide one of following documents:
Those applying for an enhanced ID are required to verbally answer questions regarding legal presence documents.
If you have a condition that impacts your communication abilities (i.e.: non-verbal), a parent/legal guardian or designated adult may answer the questions on your behalf.
If you have a condition that impacts your ability to communicate (i.e.: hard-of-hearing, deaf, deaf/blind, non-verbal, or are on the autism spectrum), you may add a designation to your license or ID to notify law enforcement about your specific communication needs.
The designation is voluntary and isn’t printed on your license or ID. It can only be viewed by law enforcement when accessing your driving record in the event of a traffic stop or an emergency.
To have the designation added to your record, a licensed physician, physician assistant, certified nurse practitioner, or physical therapist must certify that you require special considerations when communicating.
Submit your completed and signed application form by mail, fax, or email, or drop it off at a Secretary of State office.
Communication Impediment Designation application
To request an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter for a commercial driver’s license (CDL) road test, you must first obtain a federal or state waiver (different from the Full Waiver Form):
All mechanic testing may be completed at any Secretary of State office using an electronic testing station.
Special Need Testing
The Office of Investigative Services offers Special Need Testing for those individuals who have reading or language barriers. Those individuals who do not read or comprehend well, and those having a limited understanding of the English language may have a translator read the test to them. Mechanic translator testing is offered by appointment only after the following form is successfully processed and approved.
Mechanic Test Translator Agreement (AR-0197), email the completed form to: Licensing@michigan.gov
The mechanic test applicant will be notified that the mechanic translator has been approved or denied.
A Mechanic Translator must be a person who has never been involved in the field of automotive repair or related occupations.
After the application has been approved, the mechanic test applicant will be notified and instructed to make an appointment with any Secretary of State branch office for testing. Appointments are available 180 days out and can be made online, in person at a branch office, or call 888-767-6424.
To schedule a mechanic test can be done on the Online Services. Select the Online Services, once the page has opened:
Further mechanic test issues should be directed to:
Michigan Department of State
Business Licensing Section
Lansing, MI 48918
Telephone: 888-767-6424
Fax: 517-335-2810
Licensing@michigan.gov
Driver knowledge exams may be completed at any Secretary of State office using an electronic testing station.
In most cases, an audio recording of the test questions (in English) is available at the station. You can request a set of headphones to pause and rewind test recorded questions as needed.
Knowledge exams aren’t timed, and in most cases, you may take as long as you need to complete the test within office hours. Tests can be scheduled up until one hour before offices close.
If you are unable to complete the knowledge exam on the testing station and/or with the provided audio recording, you may request additional accommodations, including a paper version of the exam. Additional accommodations will be considered and arranged upon request.
Accommodations, including appropriate auxiliary aids and services, may be provided at no cost to drivers with disabilities who are completing the driving skills test, unless providing such auxiliary aids or services would fundamentally alter the nature of the program or result in an undue burden.
Requesting an ASL interpreter
If you are deaf or hard-of-hearing and preparing to take the driving skills test, inform the road test provider if you will be providing your own American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter or are requesting one.
Adaptive equipment
You may take your driving skills test using your personal vehicle with adaptive equipment already installed if you aren’t testing for a CDL endorsement.
If you meet the vision requirements, you may complete an driving skills test administered by the Michigan Department of State using a Bioptic Telescopic Lens (BTL).
Please note: Driver testing businesses can’t administer driving skills tests for BTL.
If you are eligible, complete training with one of the following professionals using a BTL:
You may only drive with one of the listed professionals and must comply with all Telescopic Lens restrictions.
Prior to your on-road driving skills test, you will need to:
Once you pass the written driver knowledge exam; complete training with the CDRS, OT/CDI, or the equivalent; and provide a receipt of the evaluation, contact the Michigan Department of State Driver Assessment Section at TrafficSafetySOS@Michigan.gov to schedule a driver assessment reexamination.
If the evaluation of your assessment is favorable, the road test will be administered.
The Americans with Disabilities Act and Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act apply to driver education programs and services, whether provided through public or private schools.
The Michigan Department of State encourages parents and driver education providers to work together to provide an appropriate accommodation to help meet the needs of the student.
Students with disabilities attending driver education may be entitled to accommodations (including appropriate auxiliary aids and services) at no cost, as long as their disabilities don’t prevent them from driving safely, and unless providing such auxiliary aids or services would fundamentally alter the nature of the program or result in an undue burden.
All commercial driver’s license (CDL) written knowledge exams may be completed at any Secretary of State office using an electronic testing station.
You may request an audio recording of CDL endorsement knowledge exam questions (in English) unless you are taking an exam for the hazardous materials (hazmat [H]) endorsement or school bus endorsement(S).
Residents with temporary or permanent health conditions impacting their mobility are eligible for certain disability parking accommodations and may apply for a disability parking placard. Those with permanent disabilities may also apply for a disability license plate.
If you, or someone you are assisting, require an accommodation that isn’t addressed previously, you may request another reasonable accommodation by contacting MDOS-Access@Michigan.gov. Be sure to include the following in your request:
On May 19, 2020, the Michigan Department of State entered into a consent decree in the case Powell v. Benson (Case: 20-11023 (ED Mich)) to implement a Remote Accessible Vote-By-Mail (“RAVBM”) system to allow voters with print disabilities to vote absentee privately and independently in time for the August 4, 2020 election. On July 13, 2020, Judge Drain of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan issued an implementation order.
The terms and conditions to the Consent Decree and Implementation Order include the following:
I. Definitions:
Print Disabilities: disabilities that interfere with the effective reading, writing, or use of printed material. This definition includes persons who are visually impaired, those with learning disabilities, as well those with a physical disability that interferes with holding and manipulating paper or a pen or pencil.
RAVBM: Remote Accessible Vote-By-Mail
II. Accessibility Provisions for August 4, 2020 Primary Election
Voters with print disabilities must have access to an accessible electronic absentee ballot application on the Department’s website, which can also be submitted electronically.
III. Modify online absentee ballot request
The Department is required to do the following:
a. Allow for a request for an accessible absentee ballot to be sent directly to a local clerk’s office
b. Allow voters to check a box to both request an accessible AV ballot and make a declaration regarding their disability that is required on the Accessible AV ballot application.
IV. Monitor local election officials
In its supervisory capacity, the Department is required to ensure accessible AV ballot requests, whether received through the Accessible AV Request system or through the Online AV Request system, are processed in accordance to the Court’s guidelines.
The Department will also continue the procedure utilized in the May 5, 2020 election to provide assistance to voters with print disabilities seeking to vote in person by absentee ballot.
V. RAVBM operational for November 2020 election
The Request for Proposals must ensure that a RAVBM is available for absentee voting by voters with print disabilities at the same time (at least 40 days prior to the election) that absentee voting is made available to other voters for the November 3, 2020 election.
VI. Communication with Plaintiffs and Court
The Department will notify the Plaintiffs and the Court upon selection of a vendor for the RAVBM. The Department will also provide a weekly update to the Plaintiffs on its progress in carrying out the Implementation Order and the Consent Decree.
VII. Additional requirements from consent decree
Vote in Polling Places. The Department will ensure that persons who desire to vote in person have an equal opportunity to do so privately and independently at their designated local polling location via an accessible voting machine.
Vote by Mail. The Department will ensure that persons who desire to vote by mail have an equal opportunity to do so privately and independently as all other persons, including but not limited to:
a. Providing a means to electronically request an accessible absentee ballot and certify that they are a voter with disabilities.
b. Providing a means to place a voter with disabilities on a permanent Accessible AV List.
c. Notifying the public of the accessible request system and RAVBM when it is available.
d. Provide training to all local and county election officials regarding the accessible request and RAVBM in the same manner as all other election trainings.
e. Provide training to local or county elections to send voters with disabilities electronic ballots that can be marked using RAVBM, with appropriate instructions
f. Provide training to local election officials on how to accept and tabulate all ballots completed by the RAVBM that are timely received.
VIII. Reporting
Within 90 days after the November 3, 2020 Election, Defendants will provide Plaintiffs a report for the preceding Election containing the following information:
a. The number of individuals with disabilities who requested an accessible ballot;
b. The number of individuals who accessed the RAVBM; and
c. Descriptions of any complaints or feedback received from voters with disabilities regarding attempts to use or use of the RAVBM and descriptions of how any complaints were resolved
