Name appearing on ballot; change; appearance of given and middle name; nickname; common law name; married name; violation.
MCL 168.560b
in effect168.560b. Name appearing on ballot; change; appearance of given and middle name; nickname; common law name; married name; violation.
Sec. 560b.
(1) A candidate required to indicate a name change on the affidavit of identity under section 558 shall be listed on the ballot with his or her current name and former name as prescribed by the secretary of state.
(2) Subject to subsections (3) and (4), both a candidate's given name and surname that he or she was given at birth, and only those names, shall appear on the ballot, except under 1 of the following circumstances:
(a) The name in question, whether a given name, a surname, or otherwise, is a name that was formally changed.
(b) The candidate is subject to subsection (1).
(c) The name in question, whether a given name, a surname, or otherwise, is 1 of the following:
(i) A name that was changed in a certificate of naturalization issued by a federal district court at the time the individual became a naturalized citizen at least 10 years before filing as a candidate.
(ii) A name that was changed because of marriage.
(iii) A name that was changed because of divorce, but only if to a legal name by which the individual was previously known.
(3) A candidate may specify that both his or her given name and middle name, or only a middle name, shall appear on the ballot. A candidate may specify that either an initial or a recognized diminutive for the candidate's given or middle name, or for both, shall appear on the ballot. In addition, a candidate may specify that a common law name used in accordance with Michigan department of state guidelines for use of a common law name on a driver license or state personal identification card shall appear on that ballot.
(4) A candidate is prohibited from specifying that a nickname that is not a recognized diminutive of the candidate's common law name, given name, or middle name appear on the ballot. A married individual is prohibited from specifying that his or her spouse's given name, or an alternative for that given name otherwise permitted under subsection (3), appear on the ballot.
(5) A ballot that would violate this section shall not be produced, printed, or distributed.
Add. 2002, Act 163, Imd. Eff. Apr. 9, 2002; Am. 2012, Act 128, Imd. Eff. May 14, 2012
[Compiler] Former MCL 168.560b, which pertained to primary election ballot and rights of voters, was repealed by Act 116 of 1988, Imd. Eff. May 2, 1988.
[PopularName] Election Code
Source: Michigan Legislature (legislature.mi.gov)URL: https://legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-168-560bFetched: 10/20/2026