DEPARTMENT OF STATE  
BUREAU OF ELECTIONS  
ONLINE ABSENT VOTER BALLOT APPLICATION  
Filed with the secretary of state on December 19, 2022  
These rules take effect immediately upon filing with the secretary of state unless adopted  
under section 33, 44, or 45a(9) of the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA  
306, MCL 24.233, 24.244, or 24.245a. Rules adopted under these sections become  
effective 7 days after filing with the secretary of state.  
(By authority conferred on the secretary of state by section 31 of the Michigan election  
law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.31)  
R 168.31, R 168.32, R 168.33, R 168.34, and R 168.35 are added to the Michigan  
Administrative Code, as follows: o  
R 168.31 Definitions.  
Rule 1. As used in these rules:  
(a) “Absent voter ballot application” means the paper application developed by the  
secretary of state or the online application described in R. 168.32.  
(b) “Jurisdiction” means the city or township in which the voter is registered.  
(c) “Manual digital signature” means a digitally captured image of a registered voter’s  
handwritten signature.  
(d) “Qualified Voter File” means the voter registration database maintained by the  
secretary of state.  
(e) “Stored digital signature” means the image of the registered voter’s signature  
captured by the department of state and maintained in the department of state’s  
motor vehicle database.  
R 168.32 Maintenance of online absent voter ballot application; form.  
Rule 2. (1) The secretary of state shall maintain an online absent voter ballot  
application.  
(2) This online absent voter ballot application must provide an option that allows  
qualified and registered voters to request an absentee ballot for an election occurring in  
their jurisdiction.  
(3) The online absent voter ballot application must be in substantially the same form as  
the absent voter ballot application developed by the secretary of state under section 759  
of the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.759.  
R 168.33 Use of digital signature on online absent voter ballot applications.  
August 30, 2021  
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Rule 3. (1) The online absent voter ballot application must provide an opportunity for a  
voter to use the voter’s stored digital signature on file with the secretary of state on the  
application.  
(2) In order to allow a voter to use the voter’s stored digital signature, the online absent  
voter ballot application must verify the voter’s identity and registration status by  
requesting the voter’s name, complete driver’s license or state ID number, full date of  
birth, last four digits of the voter’s social security number, and eye color.  
(3) For registered voters whose stored digital signature is on file with the secretary of  
state, the online absent voter ballot application must be signed with that stored digital  
signature.  
(4) Registered voters without a stored digital signature on file with the secretary of state  
may provide a manual digital signature by uploading a photograph of their physical  
handwritten signature to the online absent voter ballot application.  
(5) Completed online absent voter ballot applications, including digital signature, must  
be sent electronically through the Qualified Voter File to the city or township clerk for  
processing. An application signed using a stored digital signature or manual signature  
must be treated identically as an application signed with a physical handwritten signature.  
R 168.34 Processing online absent voter ballot application.  
Rule 4. The clerk of a city or township shall process online absent voter ballot  
applications in the same manner as all absent voter ballot applications submitted by a  
voter pursuant to section 759 or 759a of the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL  
168.759 or 168.759a.  
R 168.35 Prohibited conduct.  
Rule 5. Online absent voter ballot applications are subject to the same prohibitions  
governing completion and submission of all absent voter ballot applications.  
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