How to get your Michigan voter file
Michigan isn't pre-loaded, so you provide the voter file and we load it into Motion51 for you. Here's the official source — request it from the state, send us the file, and you're ready to cut turf.
- Where to request it
- Michigan Department of State, Bureau of Elections (under Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson)[email protected] | (800) 292-5973 | Bureau of Elections, Richard H. Austin Building, 430 W. Allegan St., 1st Floor, Lansing, MI 48918
- Cost
- No flat published price -- the QVF is released under Michigan FOIA, so the Bureau of Elections quotes a cost (search, retrieval, and duplication) and issues an itemized invoice. Cost increases significantly when absent-voter (vote-history) data is included. Invoice paid by check or money order to State of Michigan.
- How to request
- FOIA request via the QVF Data Request Form (PDF). Email the completed form to [email protected] or mail to the Bureau of Elections. Bureau issues an invoice, requester pays, Bureau ships an encrypted USB flash drive containing CSVs. FTP delivery is offered if the requester provisions an FTP endpoint and supplies credentials. Electronic files are NEVER emailed due to data-privacy policy.
- Turnaround
- Typically 1-3 weeks from form submission. The 5-business-day FOIA statutory clock applies to acknowledgment, but production of the encrypted USB and postal shipment adds time. Faster if FTP delivery is arranged.
Costs and rules change — confirm the current details on the official page before you order. Each state also has use restrictions on voter data — check the official agency link above for the specifics. Once you have the file, we handle loading it, cutting turf, and getting your volunteers knocking.
Read the full step-by-step guide: how to get the Michigan voter file →
Running in a specific county?
Many local races only need a single county's voter file — usually cheaper and faster than the whole state. We have the exact how-to for these Michigan counties:
Thinking about running in Michigan?
The filing windows, fees vs. petitions, and which offices are on the ballot — in plain English, with the official links.
Get set up in Michigan
Michigan is fully available. Tell us about your race and we'll help you get your district's voter file loaded into Motion51 and your turf ready to walk.