Voter Registration Down in Michigan

Voter registration numbers in Michigan have dropped by about 50 thousand since 2012.

Jake Neher/WDET

The Michigan Secretary of State’s office says there is still time to register to vote for the November election.

Registration numbers are down about 50,000 voters since the 2012 election season and about 70,000 since 2008.

Spokesperson Fred Woodhams says part of the problem is that registration lists may not be up to date.

“We’re encouraging local clerks to take action to clean up their voter lists,” Woodhams says. “We’re getting information more regularly from the social security administration to notify us when people die and can be taken off the voter list. And also we’re working with other states to identify when people move out of Michigan.” 

Woodhams says according to the 2010 census, Michigan was the only state in the union to lose population, which can also explain lower voter registration.

The deadline to register is October 11th

Author

  • Bre'Anna Tinsley
    Bre'Anna Tinsley is a reporter for Detroit Public Radio, 101.9 WDET. She covers city government and housing, as well as co-hosting the "Detroit Evening Report" podcast.