The short version.
The Michigan voter registration file is a public record you request from the state elections office. You pay a fee, sign a use affidavit, and get the list of registered voters for your district — names, addresses, and registration details. Then you hand it to Motion51 and we load it, geocode it, and cut your turf.
Michigan releases the Qualified Voter File (QVF) as a public record under FOIA. There is no flat sticker price -- the Bureau of Elections quotes a cost based on your request, and it rises sharply if you add absent-voter (vote-history) data.
Where to request it.
- Office
- Michigan Department of State, Bureau of Elections (under Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson)
- Contact
- MDOS-BOERegulatory@Michigan.gov | (800) 292-5973 | Bureau of Elections, Richard H. Austin Building, 430 W. Allegan St., 1st Floor, Lansing, MI 48918
What it costs.
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 it, step by step.
- Complete the QVF Data Request Form from the Bureau of Elections.
- Email or mail it to the Bureau of Elections in Lansing.
- The Bureau sends an itemized FOIA invoice (a deposit may be required for larger requests).
- Pay the invoice; the Bureau ships the data as CSV files on an encrypted flash drive, or by FTP. Files are never emailed.
How long it takes.
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.
Use restrictions — read before you order.
Standard MI FOIA terms apply (MCL 15.231 et seq.). MCL 168.509gg exempts certain fields from disclosure (see fields_excluded). No statutory political-committee-only restriction on the FOIA extract. The requester pays actual cost of duplication + medium. Resale or commercial-marketing use is constrained by general FOIA-data norms but is not explicitly criminalized in MI election law the way it is in some states.
Costs, forms, and rules change between cycles. Always confirm the current details on the official Michigan page linked above before you send payment. This page is a plain-language summary, not legal advice.
Michigan voter file FAQ.
How much does the Michigan voter file cost?
Michigan doesn't publish a flat price. The QVF is released under FOIA, so the Bureau of Elections quotes a cost (search, retrieval, and duplication) and issues an itemized invoice. The cost increases significantly if absent-voter/vote-history data is included.
Can I use it for my campaign?
Yes. The QVF is a FOIA public record (MCL 15.231 et seq.); certain fields are exempt from disclosure by statute, and Driver's Privacy Protection Act constraints apply.
How does it get delivered?
As CSV files on an encrypted USB flash drive, or by FTP if you provide an endpoint. The Bureau does not email the electronic file.
Do I have to load it myself?
No -- send us the file from the flash drive and Motion51 loads it, geocodes it, and cuts your turf.
Once you have the file, Motion51 takes it from there.
Getting the file is the errand. The campaign is what happens next: loading tens of thousands of addresses, putting them on a map, cutting them into walkable turf, and tracking every door. That's what Motion51 does.
Send us the file the state gives you and we load it in, geocode the addresses, and set up your district so volunteers can start knocking. The app works offline for the stretches where cell coverage drops, and every door is logged with a timestamp. If you're weighing a race in Michigan, our For Candidates page walks through the next steps.