40-day mail-voting window opens after Supreme Court blocks USPS restrictions
September 26th, 2026: Michigan clerks urge confidence in election securityNew here? Follow stories to track developments over time. Create a free account to get updates when stories you care about change.
Overview
Updated Sep 27Michigan voters began receiving absentee ballots for the November 3 general election Thursday, opening the state's 40-day window to vote from home. It is the second general election under Proposal 2, the 2022 measure that created early voting and a permanent mail-ballot list.
The mailing follows a Sept. 14 Supreme Court ruling that blocked a U.S. Postal Service rule restricting mail ballot delivery. Lansing alone mailed about 23,000 ballots this week. City Clerk Chris Swope urged voters to allow at least two weeks for return-by-mail or to use monitored drop boxes.
Why it matters
If counting lags, a close Michigan race could take days to call, as it did in 2020.
Monday: what changed in Grand Rapids, MI
One short email a week with the openings, closings, permits and council votes we covered. Free. Unsubscribe in one click.
Questions about this story
Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.
No questions yet — be the first to ask.
Key Indicators
Voices
Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.
People Involved
Organizations Involved
Timeline
August 2026 September 2026
-
Michigan clerks urge confidence in election security
Latest Public statementAs absentee ballots reached voters, clerks and election advocates across Michigan urged residents to trust the security of the state's mail voting system. The push responds to misinformation about mail ballots.
-
Lansing mails about 23,000 absentee ballots
ProcessLansing sent its initial batch of absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 election. City Clerk Chris Swope urged voters returning ballots by mail to allow at least two weeks for delivery; ballots must reach local clerks by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
-
Supreme Court blocks USPS mail ballot restrictions
LegalThe court left in place an injunction blocking a Postal Service rule that would have restricted mail ballot delivery for the November election. Michigan joined a multistate lawsuit to stop the rule, which required states to enroll mail voters with USPS and adopt new ballot envelope designs.
-
USPS publishes mail ballot rule
RegulatoryThe Postal Service published a rule requiring states to enroll mail voters with USPS and imposing new design standards for ballot envelopes. It took effect immediately, 69 days before the election.
Scenarios
USPS mail ballot rule returns for a future election
Discussed by: Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson; federal courts
The Sept. 14 Supreme Court order only keeps the Postal Service rule blocked for the November 2026 election. The lawsuit continues. If the rule survives, states would have to enroll mail voters with USPS and adopt new ballot envelope designs for later elections.