Every Michigan voter has a personal map of who represents them, and it decides most of what's on your ballot.
That map has a lot of layers. Your county and your city or township. Your school, library, and community college districts. Your state House and Senate seats, your member of Congress, and your courts. Each one is its own district line, and each one can put a different race or proposal on your ballot. Two neighbors on the same street can vote on different things.
Most of us know a few of these by heart and have never thought about the rest. That's not a failing. Nobody hands you all of this in one place, and the lines can shift even when you stay put.
This worksheet helps you find your own gaps. Answer what you can from memory, then use the free state lookup tool linked below to fill in the rest in a few minutes. When you're done, you'll have your whole map, plus where and how you vote, on a single page.
Make it a fridge sheet. Download the printable version, fill it in, and keep it where you'll see it before every election.
How it works: Fill in as many answers as you can without looking anything up. For each one, check Knew it or Looked it up. Then look up the rest and fill in the blanks you missed.
Where do you live?
These are the local lines that decide which city or township runs your elections, which precinct you vote in, and which local taxes and authorities apply to your address.
| District | Knew it | Looked it up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. County | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 2. Jurisdiction (city or township) | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 3. Ward | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 4. Precinct | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 5. Village | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 6. Metropolitan | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 7. Authority | ☐ | ☐ |
Not every voter has a ward, village, metropolitan, or authority district. If one doesn't apply to you, write "none." That counts as knowing it.
Which school and library districts do you belong to?
These districts elect boards and can ask voters to approve millages and bonds. Your school district doesn't always match your city or township.
| District | Knew it | Looked it up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8. School | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 9. Intermediate school | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 10. Community college | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 11. Library | ☐ | ☐ |
Who represents you?
Bonus difficulty: name the person who holds each seat right now.
| District | Your Rep | Knew it | Looked it up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12. County commissioner | ☐ | ☐ | ||
| 13. State House | ☐ | ☐ | ||
| 14. State Senate | ☐ | ☐ | ||
| 15. U.S. Congress | ☐ | ☐ |
Which courts serve your address?
Michigan voters elect their judges. Judicial races appear on the nonpartisan section of the ballot, and they're the races voters most often skip.
| District | Your Judges | Knew it | Looked it up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16. Court of Appeals | ☐ | ☐ | ||
| 17. Circuit court | ☐ | ☐ | ||
| 18. Probate court | ☐ | ☐ | ||
| 19. Probate district court | ☐ | ☐ | ||
| 20. District court | ☐ | ☐ | ||
| 21. Municipal court | ☐ | ☐ |
Probate district courts and municipal courts exist in only some parts of Michigan. "None" is a correct answer.
Where do you vote?
| Answer | Knew it | Looked it up | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22. Election Day polling place | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 23. Early voting site | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 24. Nearest ballot drop box | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 25. Your clerk's name | ☐ | ☐ | |
| 26. On the Permanent Ballot List? | Yes / No | ☐ | ☐ |
How did you do?
My score (count your Knew it checks): ____ out of 26
20 to 26: You know your ballot inside and out. Share this with someone who's still figuring theirs out.
10 to 19: You've got the big picture. A two-minute lookup will fill in the rest.
0 to 9: You're in good company. Most people have never seen all of this in one place.
Where can you check your answers?
Start at the Michigan Voter Information Center, run by the Michigan Department of State. Enter your name, birth month and year, and ZIP code. One page shows your districts, your polling place, your early voting sites and drop boxes, your clerk's contact information, and whether you're on the Permanent Ballot List.
The voter information center lists your district numbers, not the people who hold those seats. To fill in names:
State House and State Senate: Use the address lookup on the Michigan House and Michigan Senate websites.
U.S. Congress: Enter your ZIP code at house.gov.
County commissioner and local judges: Check your county's website. Your sample ballot, also on the voter information center, shows any judges and local offices up for election this year.
Did my districts change?
They may have, even if you haven't moved. Michigan's Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission redrew the state's congressional and legislative lines after the 2020 census, and those maps took effect in 2022.
Some metro Detroit voters saw a second change. In December 2023, a federal court ruled in Agee v. Benson that 13 Detroit-area legislative districts had to be redrawn. The commission drew new state House lines in time for the 2024 election, and new state Senate lines that take effect with the 2026 election. Because the full state Senate is on the ballot this November, 2026 is the first time voters in those redrawn areas will choose a senator under the new map.
Why does knowing your district matter?
The races lower on your ballot, like county commissioner, school board, and judges, often get the least attention and the fewest votes. They also shape your roads, your schools, and your courts. Knowing your districts is the first step to knowing who's asking for your vote.
A few questions worth sitting with once you've filled in your map: Which of these offices affect your daily life most? Which ones could you name a single decision from in the last year? And where would you go to learn about the candidates running for them?
That last one is where we come in. Michigan Women publishes nonpartisan, plain-language guides to Michigan candidates, ballot proposals, and bills. If this was useful, subscribe to our newsletter so the next guide lands in your inbox.
Sources
- Michigan Voter Information Center, Michigan Department of State
- Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission
- "Federal court grants final approval to new Michigan Senate districts," Michigan Advance, July 26, 2024
- How to vote in Michigan's 2026 general election, Votebeat, Sept. 28, 2026