How Republican Candidates Qualify for Michigan’s 2026 Primary Ballot

Below is Appendix E converted into a true 4-column table. Dashes indicate a blank cell in the PDF. (This prevents the common error where a State Senate district number slides into the U.S. House column.)

Source: Manual Appendix E (page labeled “Partisan Petition Manual | 38”).

The manual describes signer-line expectations and how filing officials evaluate entries against the Qualified Voter File (QVF).

• Signature: should reasonably match the QVF signature; perfection is not required.
• Printed name: recommended for clarity; omission can be an “acceptable variation” when other required fields are present.
• Street address or rural route: must include house number + street name. P.O. Box is not acceptable.
• City or township: signer should write the city or township of registration/residence.
• Zip code: requested but omission/incorrect zip can be acceptable.
• Date: signer must write month/day/year of signing. A common invalidation issue is a signer entering date of birth instead.

Sources: Manual signature-line guidance + individual signature validity sections.

The manual explains that a signer may write a “postal address” community name, but validity depends on whether that name properly corresponds to the voter’s registration jurisdiction.

• Some voters may validly write either their township name or a shared postal community name (manual examples discuss Mt. Morris postal naming across multiple townships).
• An entry can be invalid if the signer writes a community name that does not correspond to the voter’s registration jurisdiction relationship as described in the manual’s examples.
• Unincorporated place names can be valid if the voter is registered in the township containing that place.

Source: Manual “Validity of individual signatures” and “Jurisdiction name variations” sections with examples.

The manual prints Certificate of Circulator statements and includes the nonresident checkbox language. Operational points:

• The “CERTIFICATE OF CIRCULATOR” heading is printed in 12-point bold and the statement itself is printed in 8-point type (manual).
• Nonresident checkbox rule: If the circulator is not a Michigan resident, the circulator must mark the nonresident box. The manual states failure to mark it makes signatures on that sheet invalid/not counted.
• The circulator block must include a complete residence address (street/rural route, city/township, state); a P.O. Box is invalid.
• The circulator must sign/date the certificate after circulating; the manual warns not to sign/date until after circulation.

Sources: Manual certificate text + circulator block validity section.

• Circulator instruction (manual): printed in 12-point boldface: “CIRCULATOR—Do not sign or date certificate until after circulating petition.”
• Circulator entry spaces beneath that instruction are presented in 8-point type (manual).
• Sponsor imprint (manual): petition must include, in 8-point type, the name and address of the candidate committee paying for printing, preceded by “Paid for by the committee to elect ______.”
• Type size caution: the manual notes that software “font size” may not equal printed type size; sponsors must ensure printed type measures the required type size.

Source: Manual sections on circulator instruction, sponsor identification, and type size.

The manual states BOE can provide limited informal review of petition headings (and can check font size with a physical copy). It is not formal approval.

• Heading review can be done by email (manual).
• Font size review requires staff to receive a physical copy (manual).
• In-person font review requires an appointment by emailing File-Canvass@Michigan.gov (manual).

Source: Manual “Staff review regarding form requirements” section.

• Signature entirely printed when signature on file is entirely cursive; flagged as questionable.
• Signature differs in multiple, significant, obvious respects; flagged as questionable.

Source: Manual Appendix B and “Signature verification” section.

The manual warns that several Michigan cities/villages cross county boundary lines. Circulators should ensure the voter signs the petition sheet aligned with the voter’s county of registration.

Source: Manual Appendix C “Crossing county lines.”

• Implement QC before filing; the manual encourages obtaining the QVF for pre-filing verification.
• Signatures found invalid during QC may be crossed out prior to filing; crossed-out signatures are excluded when determining the maximum number filed.
• Review all sheets for completeness (especially county of circulation and certificate of circulator).
• Gather and file more signatures than the minimum; note the law sets a maximum number that may be filed.

Source: Manual Appendix C quality control section.

The manual states copies of petitions may be requested under FOIA and references a Board-approved electronic scanning and numbering plan intended to improve efficiency and FOIA responsiveness.

Source: Manual “Board of State Canvassers petition review” section.

• Under Board practice described in the manual, challenges are due 7 days after release of the sample.
• A sworn complaint alleging insufficient valid signatures or other defects may be submitted within 7 days of the filing deadline (manual).
• Signature challenges must be notarized and submitted to the Bureau of Elections.
• Manual strongly encourages submitting a scanned notarized challenge by email to MDOS-Canvassers@Michigan.gov.
• To be considered at a Board meeting, material should be received at least 48 hours before the meeting (manual).

Source: Manual “Submitting the challenge” section.

The manual says a challenge must specify each challenged signature and the reason. It instructs challengers to cite the sheet number and line number, and recommends organizing in sheet order and submitting in Excel/CSV format to expedite processing.

Source: Manual “Challenge procedure” section.

• Manual describes a single-stage random sampling process using software.
• Sampled sheets are face-reviewed first to determine whether a sheet-level defect invalidates the entire sheet.
• Sampled signatures on valid sheets are then checked for registration and other validity criteria.
• Invalid signatures are reviewed a second time by another BOE staff member (manual).
• BOE prepares a staff report; the manual states the report is posted online at least 2 business days before the Board meets to make a determination.

Source: Manual “Procedure for evaluating petitions” section.

• For most offices, omission of “Term Expiration Date” is not fatal if the position can be ascertained; it is required where multiple positions with different term ending dates exist (manual notes judicial exceptions).
• Circulator signature illegible.
• Circulator prints name in signature space and signs in printed-name space.
• Circulator omits printed name.
• Circulator enters cursive signature in printed-name space.
• Circulator omits zip code or enters incorrect zip code.
• Out-of-state circulator omits county of registration.
• Michigan resident inadvertently checks the out-of-state checkbox and/or writes a Michigan county of registration.

Source: Manual “Acceptable sheet variations” section.

The manual states a signature entry is valid when the voter signs and provides street address/rural route, city/township where registered, and date of signing.

Acceptable variations (manual examples)

• Initial(s) plus last name (examples given in manual).
• Illegible signature can still be valid depending on verification and other fields.
• Printing in the “signature” space and signing in printed-name space (and similar swaps) can be acceptable.
• Signature stamp if signer cannot sign their name.
• Ditto marks for repeating address/city/zip/date fields.
• Signer registered at a different street address within the same city/township on date of signing.
• Postal community name / village / unincorporated place entries can be acceptable in circumstances explained by the manual’s examples.
• Zip code omitted or incorrect.

Source: Manual “Validity of individual signatures” section.