Voting After A Conviction
MCL 168.758b — no vote while confined in jail or prison, and nothing in the section after release
In Michigan, a person legally convicted and sentenced, in this or any other state or in federal court, for a crime whose penalty imposed is confinement in jail or prison may not vote, offer or attempt to vote, or be permitted to vote at an election while confined.
While confined, not afterward. The section's bar runs while the person is confined. It says nothing about probation or parole, and nothing in it continues the bar after release.
| The question | The statute's answer |
|---|---|
| The questionWho may not vote | The statute's answerA person convicted and sentenced to confinement in jail or prison |
| The questionFor how long | The statute's answerWhile confined |
| The questionConvictions elsewhere | The statute's answerA conviction in another state or in federal court counts the same way |
Registration, absentee voting and people held in jail before trial are not on this page. Whether a particular conviction affects a particular person's right to vote is a question for the county election office or a licensed Michigan attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- MCL 168.758b — Voting by persons confined in jail or prison prohibited
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.