Article III
Sec. 1: In all elections, every male inhabitant of this State, being a citizen of the United States; every male inhabitant residing in this State on the twenty-fourth day of June, eighteen hundred thirty-five; every male inhabitant residing in this State on the first day of January, eighteen hundred fifty; every male inhabitant of foreign birth, who, having resided in the State two years and six months prior to the eighth day of November, eighteen hundred ninety-four, and having declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States two years and six months prior to said last named day; and every civilized male inhabitant of Indian descent, a native of the United States,
and not a member of any tribe,shall be an elector and entitled to vote; but no one shall be an elector or entitled to vote at any election unless he shall be above the age of twenty-one years, and has resided in this State six months and in the township or ward in which he offers to vote twenty days next preceding such election: Provided, That no qualified elector in the actualmilitaryservice of the United States or of this State,or in the army or navy thereof, in time of war, insurrection or rebellion,or any student while in attendance at any institution of learning, or any regularly enrolled member of any citizens’ military or naval training camp held under the authority of the government of the United States or the State of Michigan, or any member of the Legislature while in attendance at any session of the Legislature, or commercial traveler, or any qualified elector employed upon or in the operation of railroad trains in this State, or any sailor engaged and employed on the great lakes or in coastwise trade shall be deprived of his vote by reason of his absence from the township, ward or State in which he resides; and the Legislature shall provide by law the manner in which and the time and place at which such absent electors may vote,and for the canvass and return of their votes: Provided further, That the Legislature shall have power to pass laws covering qualified electors who may be necessarily absent from other causes than above specified.
