The Michigan Department of State / Secretary of State will never ask people to send money or personal information via text message. Please contact the Michigan Department of Attorney General for more information on how to identify scams and to file a complaint.
Board of State Canvassers
Current Members
History
The Board of State Canvassers was created by the State Constitution of 1850. Over the years, the structure of the board has changed. Currently, the Board is composed of four members who are appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Two board members are selected from each of the two political parties receiving the greatest number of votes in the last election for Secretary of State. Board members serve four-year terms. The terms are staggered so that the term of a Republican seat and the term of a Democratic seat expire in February of each odd-numbered year.
Duties
The duties of the Board of State Canvassers include:
- Canvassing and certifying statewide elections, elections for legislative districts that cross county lines and all judicial offices except Judge of the Probate Court.
- Conducting recounts for state-level offices.
- Canvassing nominating petitions filed with the Secretary of State.
- Canvassing state-level ballot proposal petitions.
- Assigning ballot designations and adopting ballot language for statewide ballot proposals.
- Approving electronic voting systems for use in the state.
Board meetings held at the Delta Township Office Building will be streamed live on either the Michigan Department of State YouTube channel or the Board of State Canvassers YouTube channel.
Board meetings held at the Binsfeld Office Building will be streamed live on Michigan Senate TV.
Following all meetings, the meeting video is added to the Board of State Canvassers YouTube channel.
Petitions
Manuals
- Petition Manual: Statewide Initiative, Referendum, and Constitutional Amendment Petitions
- Petition Manual: Nominating Petitions for Partisan State and Federal Offices
- Petition Manual: Candidates Without Political Party Affiliation
- Petition Manual: New Political Party Qualification
- Filing for Office: Judicial Elective Offices
- Recall Process Manual: Filing and Canvassing Recall Petitions in Michigan - updated July 2024
- Statewide Petition Status 2025-26
Procedures
- Board of State Canvassers procedural rules
- Disqualification of Persons and Organizations from Collecting Petition Signatures
- Procedure for Circulator Signature Challenges
- Reasons for Recall filed with the Board of State Canvassers: 2019-2023
- Sampling procedure for canvassing petitions - updated Nov. 2023
Contact us and stay updated
Contact the Board of State Canvassers at MDOS-Canvassers@Michigan.gov