The "Secure MI Vote" committee filed a proposed petition with the secretary of state's office that would tighten the state's voter ID law, ban the state from sending absentee ballot. Here's why. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. Under Michigan election law, theBoard of State Canvassers must determinewhether the initiative obtained enough valid signatures. The ballot initiative would prohibit absentee ballot applications from being sent to electors without an elector first requesting the application. I would reject the idea that this has been rushed.. By The Associated Press. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, Delhi Twp - Holt - Dimondale - Southside Lansing, East Lansing, Haslett, Okemos & Williamston, East Lansing, Haslett, Okemos, Webberville & Williamston. Office of the Great Seal. Estimates indicate places of worship accounted for roughlya fifth of polling locations in 2020. Feb 26, 2023. We really need to take our time to make sure that we are protecting the citizens of Michigans right to your state legislation, Bradshaw said. Sharon Dolente, a senior adviser with Promote the Vote, which opposes the initiative, is not so sure. Michigans nonpartisan, nonprofit news source, The gift that gives all year long. Independently operated voter helplines staffed by volunteers, for instance, might be considered in-kind contributions that help defray the costs of administering elections, she said. Clerks across Michigan received money from the Center for Tech and Civic Life in 2020. The campaign Secure MI Vote filed a petition with the State Board of Canvassers on September 2, 2021. We'll see what the reaction is. My suggested improvements: You should be able to vote seven days before the election at your clerks office. President Joe Biden speaks to the House Democratic Caucus Issues Conference, Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Baltimore. The initiative proposes to amend, or change, nine sections of Michigans election code, in addition to adding three new sections to it. The additional cost imposed of having to now rent that space is a big question mark, she said. The initiative would also create a new "voter access fund" in state government and seed it with $3 million to provide free ID to voters who claim a hardship. Gretchen Whitmer and implement a host of voting reforms that opponents say are tantamount to suppression. So far this year, officials in Georgia and 17 other states have enacted a combined 30 laws that restrict access to voting in some way, according to an analysis by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law. Voting rights advocates argue tighter ID rules would amount to voter suppression and have a disproportionate impact on low-income and minority residents. What to know about Secure MI Vote initiative: security or suppression? Thosewho don't comply with the new ruleswould receive a provisional ballot that wouldnt count unless the voter presents an ID in-person at their clerks office within six days after an election. Support WKAR and get ad-free versions of your favorite NPR podcasts. He told the Free Press later that tweaks could help clerks comply with the new rules while maintaining online and easy access to applications. All rights reserved. People are caught and prosecuted; the fines are steep and prison time is a possibility. Gretchen Whitmer's vetoes and implement new voting restrictions via a petition drive is set to ramp up this weekend, with a new push. The initiative states that voters must provide their driver license number, state ID card number or the last four digits of their Social Security number on their absentee ballot application. Yet, it won't be on the November ballot. Please support our work, Michigan Republicans want to bypass Gov. Lawmakers can choose whether or not to put initiative petition proposals on the ballot. The overwhelming majority of polling locations in Delta Township are churches that provide free access to their space, Clark said. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. State IDs cost $10 in Michigan, and the state already has a program to waive those fees for low-income residents who qualify for other forms of government assistance. A group of students wants to stop Gov. Supporters say: It's common sense. Ahead of last years elections, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson sent absent voter ballot applications -- not actual ballots -- to millions of registered voters to alert them of the option to vote by mail. The initiative petition process, however, allows lawmakers to pass the same proposals without the governor's support. The proposal focuses on a few key points: Lets break down these points and their significance a bit more. Paid for by Secure MI Vote Committee with regulated funds106 W Allegan, Ste 200 Lansing, MI 48933. Unless they have plans to spend just a ton of money per signature and flood the streets to get the signatures quickly, its hard to imagine that they can get 350,000 plus enough cushion in order to have it certified by the Secretary of State in calendar year 2020, said Jeff Timmer, a former Michigan GOP official who opposes Trump and the effort to tighten voting laws. Gretchen Whitmer's signature. Initiative Petition . You are checked for an absentee ballot so you cant vote twice. Those petitions were submitted to the Michigan Secretary of State and we continue to wait for her to approve them to go to the Michigan Legislature. SHELBURNE Twenty-five warrant articles comprise this year's annual Town Meeting discussion, including Article 4 seeking approval of $607,765 as the operating budget. MCL 168.482b(1). The Secure MI Vote campaign says theyre confident they have enough signatures to get their initiative to the legislature. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Acceptable forms of photo ID would include a driver license, state ID card, passport, military ID, tribal ID or student ID issued by a university, junior college or community college. The "Secure MI Vote" petition is a deceptive effort to silence the voice of the people. When there are fair elections, bad politicians are voted out and the good ones from both parties work together to solve problems. But filling out an application for another voter is already a crime, and theres no evidence the mailings led to any significant ballot fraud last year. It makes no mention of presenting a copy of an ID or showing one to county clerks. "And so the question is: Are they working for their own organizations or is that considered an in-kind donation to us?" Secure MI Vote: Initiated statute: Elections reforms: Unlock Michigan II: Initiated statute: Weaken gubernatorial powers in an emergency: Let MI Kids Learn A: . The Secure MI Vote petition drive is still ongoing. Roe said clerks wouldnt have to turn away these volunteers while Spies, the lawyer for Secure MI Vote, said there would need to be clarification on which volunteer activities remain permissible. Those were caught and the votes were voided. But organizers of the GOP petition drive say their plan would make that process easier and help the state pay for it. We repeat: If Proposal 2 wins in November elections will not be secure ever again. With a majority of the House and Senate supporting these citizen petitions, new laws will go into play making our elections secure. And so then its just more election litigation, more voter confusion.". Voting absentee: If your application passes the eligibility tests, a ballot is sent to you. Tuesday's election was a rebuke of Lightfoot, who made history as leader of the nation's third-largest city. LANSING, Mich. (Great Lakes News) - The group "Secure MI Vote" has six months to collect at least 340,000 signatures for a ballot petition that would tighten Michigan's election laws, including requiring identification to vote. Voting at the polls: You must vote at your precinct and provide a picture ID. Who's in, out of race? Make a tax-deductible contribution to support her work at bit.ly/freepRFA. Democratic and Republican officials in more than 465 Michigan cities, townships and counties applied for and received the assistance, securing private money to help perform public elections. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). "Its going to be what some judge thinks and what administrators think that it says. If . The GOP report, led by Sen. Ed McBroom, said it loud and clear. [1] The campaign did not submit signatures by the July 11, 2022, deadline. "After the 2016 and 2020 elections, voters on both sides of the political spectrum questioned the integrity of the election," said a statement from Secure MI Vote."Secure MI Vote seeks to restore confidence in our elections by making it . Getting it done by the end of the year is a very daunting hurdle, Roe acknowledged. The initiative is proposing quite a bit of change, and were going to break down everything you need to know. LANSING, MI The Secure MI Vote committee can begin collecting signatures to tighten voter ID laws after the Michigan Board of Canvassers approved the group's petition language Monday. Once you vote absentee for the first time, an application is mailed to you for each election in your area. If the signatures hold up, a Republican-controlled legislature could adopt the changes into law before the election. June 1, 2022 (5 p.m.) . The Michigan Board of State Canvassers approved petition language on Monday, allowing Secure MI Vote to begin seeking signatures to approve voting restrictions as a citizen initiative. The Secure MI Vote petition suggests Michigans voting process is not secure, and that to fix it voting must be harder. The board is next scheduled to meet June 23. Redistricting commission is a new opportunity for Michiganders to improve our process, It's time to break Michigans fossil fuel addiction and that means no pipeline, no tunnel, I lost my child to the flu, please protect yours from this vaccine-preventable disease. Thus they launched the Protect the Vote initiative that is now on YOUR November 2022 ballot. The Michigan Board of Canvassers unanimously approved the form of the petition initiative submitted by the Republican-backed Secure MI Vote committee at a meeting Monday, Sept. 27. Clara Hendrickson fact-checks Michigan issues and politics as a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Hand recounts and. The American Civil Liberties Union says that strict ID voting laws not only disproportionately affect minorities, but also deprive many voters of their right to vote, reduce participation, and stand in direct opposition to our countrys trend of including more Americans in the democratic process.. State Sen. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) said he hopes elections staff will review the signatures quickly. But the president of One Fair Wage, Saru Jayaraman,said in a statement that the Michigan campaign to increase the minimum wage decided to delay its own signature submissions "out of an abundance of caution.". Citizen led drive to secure Michigan's elections. With a majority of the House and Senate supporting these citizen petitions, new laws will go into play making our elections secure. Gretchen Whitmer. Voters without an ID would have to present a copy of their birth certificate or Social Security card and documentation verifying their address. That prevents people from voting in two places such as two homes and college students. This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan elections are secure, don't make voting harder, Michigan elections are secure, don't make voting harder, A woman threw a house party with 65 men she matched with on Tinder and Hinge and connected with the man she's been dating for a year. Elections in Michigan are underfunded and private funds helpedclerks fill the gap in 2020, said Chris Thomas, the former director of elections for Michigan. Wisconsin Badgers (16-11, 8-9 Big Ten) at Michigan Wolverines (16-12, 10-7 Big Ten) Ann Arbor, Michigan; Sunday, 2 . That amendment campaign is awaiting a review of its signatures to see if it will make the 2022 ballot. But clerks worry that conflicting requirements proposed by the initiative would cause confusion. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Secure MI Vote recently began collecting the 340,047 signatures needed to introduce the initiative to state lawmakers. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The "Secure MI Vote" petition is making its way around Michigan communities. Require voters applying for an absentee ballot to include their driver license or state ID number, along with the last four digits of their Social Security number, on their application. The initiative would require clerks to pay churches that serve as polling locations, according to organizers. Rather than sign a petition to make voting harder for no reason, call your representative and senator and ask them to make real improvements. The initiative would bar the secretary of state, clerks and public employees from "sending or providing access" to absentee ballot applications to voters who don't first request one. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson mailed absentee ballot applications to every voter in the state in 2020, a decision upheld by federal courts and one that likely contributed to record election turnout despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative proposes to amend, or change, nine sections of. The State Board of Canvassers have granted Secure MI Vote a bogus approval for a misleading petition drive. At least 340,047 signatures need to be valid. . If a petition sponsor avails itself of this Its clear and simple, Litten told reporters Friday. Organizers for other initiatives have already started looking to the next election,including a campaign to increase Michigan's minimum wage and another to add Michigan to a coalition of states aiming to decide presidential elections by the popular vote instead of the Electoral College. Here's an overview of the checks in place to prevent voter fraud. LANSING, MI The Secure MI Vote committee can begin collecting signatures to tighten voter ID laws after the Michigan Board of Canvassers approved the group's petition language Monday. Organizers for the Secure MI Vote to enact strict voter ID laws and the Let MI Kids Learn petition initiativesdon't intend to put their initiatives on the ballot andhope insteadthat lawmakers would pass their proposals later this year. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The board approved the 100-word summary of the initiative last week, but delayed a vote on the petition form itself due to typos and misspellings. Prohibit outside corporate entities from funding Michigan elections. The group said in a statementit collected significantly more than the required 340,047 signatures but saidit was going to wait to collect more signatures and submit them to state election officials in June to qualify for the 2024 ballot. I will have no part in any effort that grants an ounce of credence to this deception (the Big Lie), so injurious to our democracy, Whitmer wrote in a letter to legislators last month. Instead, state and local governments would only be allowed to use money appropriated from the government on things like voting equipment, polling places, outreach, etc. Dallas Lenear, the group's treasurer, said that in most Michigan counties there are more payday loan stores than McDonald's and they are disproportionately located in low-income and rural communities where residentsstruggle to afford the high interest rates currently charged. There were still 35 election-related bills making their way through the legislature as of October. Eliminating and replacing the affidavit voting option; Preventing the mailing of unsolicited absent voter ballots and applications; Limiting how election funds are acquired and spent. Clara Hendrickson fact-checks Michigan issues and politics as a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Republicans launch secure MI vote drive to reform Michigan election laws, Were so angry. MSU students urge gun safety at Lansing hearing, MSU police cant explain 13-minute alert gap, remain mum on shooting details, Michigan Democrats begin repeal of 1931 abortion ban, Share the article you just read on Twitter, Share the article you just read on Facebook, Share the article you just read via email, Michigan has far more power outages this week than other Midwest states, Michigan outraged toxic waste from Ohio derailment shipped to Belleville, MSU shooting: fourth victim identified, discharged from hospital, Michigans lousy infrastructure has many begging: Fix the damn noisy roads, Michigan lawmakers send Whitmer tax cuts; $180 payments are dead, Michigan State shooting: Alerts to students delayed as police rushed to campus. (Bridge file photo). We needed to be able to give, not only for the lawyers in the room, but everyday people who may not understand this process fully.. 5. Jamie Roe, a spokesperson for the Secure MI Vote initiative, called the Wednesday filing date "sort of an artificial deadline" and said that state election officials could review signatures the group plans to fileso that the GOP-led Legislature could take up the proposal quickly. GOP organizers say the proposed initiative would reduce the potential for fraud in future elections, but Michigan clerks say the change is not warranted because there is no evidence of significant voter impersonation fraud. Secure MI Vote is an initiative launched by Republican voters looking to tighten Michigans voting and election laws. "I think something like this is best done through the normal legislative process,"he said. The Secure MI Vote petition was initiated after dozens of Republican-backed, voter restriction bills were introduced in the Michigan Legislature. Critics argue that ID requirements like those outlined in Secure MI Votes initiative would put a burden on voters who do not have IDs and cannot easily obtain them, specifically older and low-income populations. Conservatives called the money "Zuck Bucks" and said the fundsopened the door to outside influence in the election. ", More: Whitmer vetoes election bills aimed at overhauling voter ID rules, More: Petition to overhaul voter ID laws receives state board approval to collect signatures. The Secure MI Vote initiative would add several measures that supporters call reforms to enhance ballot security, but foes say are naked attempts to make it harder to vote. The Trump campaign filed the most post-election lawsuits related to the 2020 United States presidential election in the swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. A lot of people like to tell me, Well, you could just vote no on all of this, and actually I might not agree with it, but constitutionally I cant.. [2] At least 340,047 signatures need to be valid. So, while we are waiting on Secretary Benson to do her job and approve our signatures, we are stepping up to the plate to work hard to defeat Proposal 2. 2023 Bridge Michigan. Registration: You must prove citizenship, identity, and residency to register. Anything that reduces the lines on Election Day makes voting easier and improves security because it reduces the big crunch on Election Day. The secretary of state defended her actions, however, arguing that it was necessary to present a remote voting option amid the ongoing public health crisis. Spies said it was a "misdirection to think that anybody is not going to get clear instructions on how to vote." If they fail to do so, they can "present an original or a copy"of an ID to their "city, township, or county clerk." As a poll worker, I understand how the system prioritizes security and integrity. The amendment would make the Secure MI Vote initiative moot, if voters approve it in November. [1] See also 2022 measures 2022 ballot measures Constitutional rights on the ballot Elections and campaigns on the ballot 2022 legislative sessions Michigan "Once you tell people what's in it, they're going to vote 'no.' It's clear and. I would hope that the legislature would take immediate action particularly, please if we act with dispatch to get support from across the state.. The language could arguably be interpreted as a blanket ban. While they submitted more signatures than the required 340,047, the late submission no longer means the Bureau of Elections has a timely deadline to check the signatures. 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