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UpdateMichiganWednesday, October 28, 2026

Michigan officials say primary database problems have been fixed

State officials say technical issues that slowed the voter database during the August primary will not recur in November.

Reporting by
Votebeat
“Michigan officials believe technical issues from primary will not recur in general election”, Wednesday, October 28, 2026
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What happened

Michigan officials say they have fixed the technical problems that slowed the state's voter database during the August primary and do not expect a recurrence in the general election. The Qualified Voter File stalled for 30 to 60 minutes around 5 p.m. on primary day because of insufficient system resources and certain processes taking longer than anticipated, according to the Department of Technology, Management and Budget. The Department of Technology, Management and Budget added capacity and extra monitoring.1

Local clerks said they are optimistic but are prepared with contingency measures should a similar issue arise.1

30 to 60 minutes
how long the Qualified Voter File stalled on primary day1
What it means in Michigan

What this means for Michigan voters

Voters can register in person at their city or township clerk's office up to 8 p.m. on Election Day.2 Early voting runs from Saturday October 24 through Sunday November 1, 2026.2

Key dates in Michigan

Election Day in 5 days
  1. Sat, Oct 24 · passed
    Early voting begins
  2. Mon, Nov 2 · 4 days
    Last day for mail ballot applications
  3. Tue, Nov 3 · 5 days
    Election Day; Registration deadline; Mail ballots must arrive
  4. Tue, Nov 17 · 19 days
    County/Local certification
  5. Mon, Nov 23 · 25 days
    State certification

Every date in Michigan, and who certifies the election

The answers behind this
Voting machines and election securityVoting in Michigan, 2026Who certifies the election in Michigan, and by when?When does early voting start?

Explore this issue

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Sources

  1. Votebeat, https://votebeat.org/michigan/2026/10/28/qualified-voter-file-primary-slowdown-clerks-prepare-midterm · Wednesday, October 28, 2026
  2. Vote.org, Michigan Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/michigan/

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