Election Division

Vote here yard sign displayed outside a polling place.

Next Election 

The next election is on Tuesday, May 2, 2023. 

What's on the Ballot

Voters will decide a millage renewal for the Jackson County Intermediate School District (JCISD) to fund special education programs. This is a millage renewal and will not bring any new taxes. 

Polling Place Change

Due to ongoing construction at the Boos Recreation Center, Ward 2 voters will be directed to other polling places in the City. Impacted voters will receive a mailed notice prior to the election with updated polling place information. 

2023 Elections in the City of Jackson

Elections for Mayor, Treasurer and City Council seats in Wards 2, 4 and 6 are taking place this year. If you'd like to be a candidate for these offices, there are some important details to know. 

The deadline to file paperwork to qualify for the Aug. Primary Election is Tuesday, April 25 at 4:00 p.m. The City Clerk's Office encourages residents to file their paperwork as soon as possible so any potential issue with the documents can be resolved before the deadline. 

The City Clerk's Office, which is located on the first floor of City Hall, has packets available for those interested in running for office in the City of Jackson.

Ward 2 Polling Place Change for 2023

Due to ongoing construction at the Boos Recreation Center and Loomis Park, Ward 2 voters are being shifted to other polling places for the 2023 election cycle. 

Precinct 3 voters will vote at St. John's United Center for Caring at 801 S. Mechanic St. Voters in Precincts 4 and 5 will vote at St. John's Parish Center at 711 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Impacted residents will receive a mailed notice informing them of this temporary change. A Ward and Precinct Map (PDF) is available on this page for reference. 

Where to Vote
Each ward has a designated polling place. Find your ward, precinct and polling place referencing the Ward and Precinct Map (PDF). A list of polling places is also available on this page. 

  • WARD 1: Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, 1107 Adrian St. 
  • WARD 2: Boos Recreation Center closed in 2023 for construction. Voters shifted to the following locations:  
    • Precinct 3: St. John's United Center for Caring, 801 S. Mechanic St. 
    • Precincts 4 & 5: St. John's Parish Center, 711 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.    
  • WARD 3: St. John's Parish Center, 711 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. 
  • WARD 4: First Presbyterian Church, 743 W. Michigan Ave. 
  • WARD 5: St. John's United Center for Caring, 801 S. Mechanic St. 
  • WARD 6: Cascades Baptist Church, 1012 W. High St. 

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day for in-person voting. Those opting to return absent ballots by mail are encouraged to do so as early as possible. Absentee ballots must be submitted by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted in the election. A ballot drop box is available at City Hall. Completed ballots may also be hand submitted in the City Clerk’s Office. 

Voting Absentee 

Those wanting to request an absentee ballot, who have not already applied, may apply on the Secretary of State’s website, by mail, by email, or in person. If you’d like to check on the status of your absentee ballot, such as if one is coming to your home or has been received by the City Clerk’s Office, visit the Secretary of State’s website.

 

It’s important for absentee voters living in the same household to pay close attention to ensure the ballot assigned to them is returned in the appropriate envelope. Contact the City Clerk’s Office if a mistake is made on your absentee ballot to get instructions on how to correct it. Voters may return ballots directly to the City Clerk’s Office on the First Floor of Jackson City Hall.  


Two ballot drop boxes are available for contactless submission of absentee ballots. One is located outside Jackson City Hall at 161 W. Michigan Ave. and another is located inside the City Clerk's Office. 


Those opting to return ballots by mail are encouraged to do so as early as possible. In the days before the election, voters are urged to directly submit their completed absentee ballots to the City Clerk's Office using a drop box or in-person submission. 


Voters who are registering to vote on Election Day may obtain and vote an absentee voter ballot in person at the City Clerk's Office or vote in person at their voting precinct. 


All absentee ballots must be submitted to the Clerk's Office by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted in the election. 


Absentee Ballot Drop Boxes

Dropbox at front entrance of City Hall

Dropbox outside the front entrance of City Hall, 161 W. Michigan Ave. 

There are two absentee ballot drop boxes for voters to use. One is installed outside the front entrance to Jackson City Hall at 161 W. Michigan Ave. Another is located in the parking lot behind City Hall, which can be reached by using W. Cortland Street. The dropbox behind City Hall can be used as a "drive-thru" option for voters, as it can be reached from the driver's side of vehicles. 

Registered voters in the City of Jackson may use the drop boxes to submit completed absentee ballots. The boxes will be open for ballot submission for every election cycle from the time absentee ballots are mailed until 8 p.m. on Election Day. The drop boxes are specially designed to keep ballots safe and secure. 

The drop boxes are for completed absentee ballots only. All other City paperwork submissions, including absentee ballot applications, should be submitted to the standard drop box outside City Hall. 

Drive-thru dropbox behind City Hall

Dropbox in parking lot behind City Hall off W. Cortland Street 

2023 Changes to Absentee Ballots

Starting with the May 2, 2023 election, voters may choose to be placed on a permanent absent voter ballot list. This means you will automatically receive an absentee ballot in the mail prior to every election without having to apply each time. 

If this is something you'd like to participate in, there is now an option on the MI Absent Voter Ballot Application. This change was approved by Michigan voters as part of Proposal 2 in the Nov. 2022 election. Voters may still request absentee ballots for individual elections. 

A photo example of where to find this option on applications is included on this page. 

Absentee ballot instruction 2023

Ballot Submission Deadline 

The Michigan Secretary of State has ballot submission deadlines listed on its website.  

Spoiling an Absentee Ballot

If a voter has already voted absentee and wishes to change their vote, a voter can spoil their ballot by submitting a written request to the City Clerk's Office. More information is available about this on the Secretary of State’s website

See your Ballot Before Voting 
If you'd like to see what's on your ballot before heading to the polls, sample ballots are available online.

About Elections in Jackson
Elections in the City of Jackson are administered by the Jackson City Clerk's Office. The City Clerk is the Chief Election Officer and is responsible for conducting all elections held in the City of Jackson. Voter registrations are processed daily through the statewide qualified voter file to maintain the records of approximately 23,000 registered city voters. The city is divided into six wards and 16 precincts with conveniently located polling places for voters to cast their ballots on election days.


Election Results
City of Jackson election results are reported through the Jackson County Clerk's website.

Election Signs

Before putting signs in your yard to support a candidate or cause, please be aware of where the signs should be placed.  According to a City ordinance, signs are only allowed on private property and not in the City’s right-of-way or “parkway”, which is the area between the street and sidewalk. Signs that violate the ordinance could be removed and confiscated by City staff.  Reference a video on this page for an example of where signs should be placed. 


Election Resources