Who certifies the election in Michigan, and by when?
The Board of State Canvassers certifies the election by the twentieth day after the election.
The Board of State Canvassers certifies Michigan's election results by November 23, 2026, the twentieth day after the election. County boards of canvassers must finish their canvass and certify by November 17, 2026, the fourteenth day after the election. The state board then canvasses the county returns and certifies the statewide results.
County boards certify first
The bipartisan board of county canvassers, two members from each major party, canvasses the precinct returns, prepares a statement of the vote and reports it to the Secretary of State. County boards of canvassers must finish the canvass by November 17, 2026, the fourteenth day after the election, and certify immediately thereafter.
The state board certifies statewide results
The Board of State Canvassers, four members appointed by the Governor from the two major parties, canvasses the county returns and certifies the statewide results. The Board of State Canvassers must complete the canvass and certify the results by November 23, 2026, the twentieth day after the election.
Recounts come after certification
Recounts come after certification. That a recount petition has been filed, or that a recount is pending, has no effect on the governor's authority or responsibility to issue a certificate of ascertainment of appointment of electors. No deadline is set for filing a contest of the general election results.
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Explore vote countingFrequently asked questions
Q. Who certifies a U.S. House race in Michigan, and by when?
Michigan's Board of State Canvassers certifies the results, announcing its determination by November 23, 2026, the twentieth day after the election. Each county board of canvassers must conclude its canvass no later than the fourteenth day after the election, November 17, 2026. Michigan law makes certification a ministerial, clerical and nondiscretionary duty at both levels: county boards certify based solely on the returns from precincts, early voting sites and absent voter counting boards, and the state board based solely on the counties' certified statements of votes.
Q. When must absentee ballots arrive?
Absentee ballots must be received by the local clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Q. When is early voting in Michigan?
Early voting runs from Saturday October 24 through Sunday November 1, 2026.
Sources
- Vote.org, Michigan Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/michigan/
- NCSL, Canvass Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/canvass-deadlines
- NCSL, Election Certification Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/election-certification-deadlines
- Bolts, Who counts our elections, https://boltsmag.org/whats-on-the-ballot/who-counts-our-elections/
- nass.org, https://www.nass.org/node/2455
- Michigan Legislature, Michigan Compiled Laws sec. 168.842, https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-168-842 · 2026-09-26