Michigan's voter registration database is more accurate than ever, according to an audit released by the state Office of Auditor General.
The examination of the state's Qualified Voter File—a database of more than 8.3 million registered voters—found that 99.99% of entries contain all required data. The state matched the file against records in its driver and vehicle system, finding 99.7% identical entries. Where differences appeared, they typically involved minor name variations like "Teri" versus "Teresa."
The audit tested whether voter registrations were properly canceled when people died. The state reported 101,672 deaths of residents age 19 and older in 2024 and canceled 100,228 voter registrations that year. According to the audit, every voter marked as deceased who cast a ballot at an early voting site in 2024 had died within the 10 days before the election, when early voting was allowed.
One finding raised a caution about using citizenship records to determine voter eligibility. The audit said the state's driver records list many currently eligible voters as noncitizens because their citizenship status was never updated after naturalization. Michigan naturalizes 14,000 to 16,000 new American citizens annually, and their driver records may not reflect that status for years after they take the oath of citizenship. The state conducts post-election audits comparing noncitizen records against voting logs to verify only eligible voters cast ballots.
The examination was required by the state's fiscal 2026 budget. The Department of State also implemented quarterly reconciliation between voter and driver records, improved security controls for electronic pollbooks, and created a formal certification program for local election clerks on post-election procedures.