The group submitted more than 400,000 signatures, Lenear said. In addition to eliminating the option for those voting in-person to sign an affidavit if they dont have a photo ID and vote normally, the initiative would create a new ID rule for absentee voters. The ballot initiative would require an identification card, such as a driver's license, official student ID, or other government-issued ID, to cast an in-person or absentee ballot in an election. It could also reduce the potential for outside groups to try to influence future elections by ensuring they dont direct funding to preferred communities. ADVERTISEMENT If that petition collects its roughly . A poll bythe Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks found that itsmembers were "overwhelmingly"concerned about the initiative as its proposed, according toHarrison Township Clerk Adam Wit, a Republican, who sits on the group's legislative committee. Also on the Feb. 28 agenda is a discussion item on off-site valet parking. The nonprofit Center for Tech and Civic Life last year provided COVID-19 response grants to election officials across the country to buy absentee ballot drop boxes, hire more staff and implement safety measures to pull off a pandemic election. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. "And while the process provides for the Legislature to vote on them, the whole process is structured based on which election theyre going to be submitted to.". 3 talking about this. But unlike the normal process lawmakers follow to change state laws, Michigan's initiative petitionprocess allows lawmakers to bypass the governor's veto and enact the initiatives on their own. 0. Petition summary approved by the Board of State Canvassers on : November 15, 2021. If this campaign fails, the effort could be dead on arrival. 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. 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. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed the legislation. While the loudest criticism against a GOP effort in Michigan to change the state's election laws has targeted itsproposed strict voter ID rules, clerks worry that the Secure MI Vote petition initiative would usher in other far-reaching changes. The Secure MI Vote petition drive is still ongoing. If this initiative succeeds, it will undo anything we ever hoped to accomplish with the Secure MI Vote initiative. Not only can lawmakers enact voter-initiated legislation without the governor's support, they can do so without the support of a majority of voters in a statewide election. Organizers argue that in order to ensure a fair election, it is necessary to require Michigan voters to present a photo ID, to limit how absent voter ballots are distributed, how funds are used during elections and more. Trebilcock pointed to the fact that the petition summary was approved late Friday afternoon and the board came back to vote on the form Monday morning. 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. In 1957, the Supreme Court, in Butler v. Michigan, overturned a Michigan statute making it a misdemeanor to sell books containing obscene language that would tend to corrupt "the morals of youth." For instance, afunction could be addedonline for voters torequest an application, he said. Ms. Benson said only 15,300 absentee ballots were. Secure MI Vote recently began collecting the 340,047 signatures needed to introduce the initiative to state lawmakers. WKAR Public Media | Initiative Petition . 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. The results were certified and officially audited by trusted local election officials, as required by law. If successful, the Legislature could enact the law without the signature of the governor, or it could send the proposal to the ballot for voters to decide. Eliminating the option would make it harder for some Michiganders to vote. Lawmakers can also choose to enact the proposed changes themselves. Other initiative petitions missed the deadline to submit signatures, including those to limit the authority of local public health officials, establish a new credit system to reduce prison sentences, conduct another audit of the 2020 presidential election, legalize psychedelic mushrooms and decertify the 2020 presidential election. All rights reserved. Jennifer Granholm, said organizers of initiatives who missed the filing deadline face a steep hill to climb if they want lawmakers to adopt their proposals before the end of the year. Crews are continuing to work to . 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. SECURE MI VOTE . With a number of petition initiatives floating around Michigan this year, we want to make sure youre familiar with all of the facts. After several recounts and analyses both locally and nationally, no widespread voter fraud was discovered in last years election. The Secure MI Vote petition suggests Michigans voting process is not secure, and that to fix it voting must be harder. Secure MI Vote is looking to prevent Benson, any local clerk or any of their employees from sending or providing access to unsolicited absent voter applications or ballots. Meanwhile, two high-profile Republican-backed initiative petitionsvowed to continue collecting signatures and file their petition forms in the coming weeks in hopes that state election officials will review them quickly despite blowing past the deadline. Weve been there for you with daily Michigan COVID-19 news; reporting on the emergence of the virus, daily numbers with our tracker and dashboard, exploding unemployment, and we finally were able to report on mass vaccine distribution. Supporters say: It's common sense. Please support our work, Michigan Republicans want to bypass Gov. Ottawa County Clerk Justin Roebuck, a Republican who co-chairs the Michigan Association of County Clerks legislative committee, said the language "represents at best a couple of significant typos, but at worst a lack of understanding of the process itself." There is no evidence the grants were used for political influence, but Trump supporters falsely alleged the funds were directed only to Democratic cities, a conspiracy fueled by the involvement of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who donated $400 million to the nonprofit. 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. "If youre going to use the church for a polling place, you have to pay that church fair market value for the use of their facility,"he said. "The most important thing for us is that one million Michigan workers get $15 per hour, and this is that path that ensures us that victory," Jayaraman said. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support her work at bit.ly/freepRFA. In-person voters without a valid photo ID would instead be allowed to cast a provisional ballot, but it wouldnt count on Election Day and would only be tabulated if the voter returned to their local clerks office and presented a valid ID within six days after the election. According to an outline shared with Bridge Michigan, the initiative would: Michigan already has a voter ID law, but the initiative would eliminate a rarely used affidavit option that allows voters without an ID to cast a normal ballot on Election Day if they attest that they are who they say they are under penalty of perjury. A group of students wants to stop Gov. Apply today! Want to see more local news? She said. It's been a challenging process," said Jamie Roe, a spokesman for the Secure MI Vote campaign. Cassidy Johncox is a senior digital news editor covering stories across the spectrum, with a special focus on politics and community issues. Thats less than one businesses days notice, Trebilcock said. 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. Michigan Department Of Health And Human Services, the governor has vowed will stop at her desk. It makes no mention of presenting a copy of an ID or showing one to county clerks. Last year, the Republican-controlled state Senate and House passed the Unlock Michigan initiative petition to repeal the emergency powers law Whitmer used early on in the COVID-19 pandemic to issue health and safety restrictions. The group plans to hand over tho signatures to law enforcement and believes that some of the signatures were collected by the same circulators state election officials found committed forgery on nominating petitions filed by GOP gubernatorial candidates, Roe said. Contact her at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. 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. Prohibit the Michigan Secretary of State and local election clerks from sending absentee ballot applications to voters who did not request them. More than 400 such bills have been introduced in 49 states. 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). Office of the Great Seal. If the signatures hold up, a Republican-controlled legislature could adopt the changes into law before the election. She says, "Regardless of tonight's outcome, we fought the right fights and we put . Those were caught and the votes were voided. Gov. With a majority of the House and Senate supporting these citizen petitions, new laws will go into play making our elections secure. Roe told Bridge Michigan the Secure MI Vote committee is focused on securing legislative approval rather than putting the measure on the 2022 ballot, which could trigger a very expensive campaign. 2023 Michigan State University Board of Trustees. Body parts found in soup pots believed to belong to Hong Kong model Abby Choi. 100% remote. Republican lawmakers have already passedbills mirroring those proposals, but Gov. Tuesday's election was a rebuke of Lightfoot, who made history as leader of the nation's third-largest city. Secure MI Vote is an initiative launched by Republican voters looking to tighten Michigans voting and election laws. Related: Deep Dive: What to know about Unlock Michigan petition drive. We report because the news impacts all of us. Thus they launched the "Protect the Vote" initiative that is now on YOUR November 2022 ballot. The Secure MI Vote initiative is considered an initiated state statute (ISS), which means it will require just over 340,000 signatures to be considered valid. Opponents say if approved, the Secure MI Vote. "Because some of the questions that clerks are raising across the state are things that could be addressed through committees, through taking testimony, hearing from stakeholders. Bensons sending of absent voter ballot applications last year drew criticism from GOP lawmakers and former President Donald Trump, who initially believed she was sending unsolicited ballots, not applications. Citing scores of audits, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, called the election one of the most secure in Michigan history. Senate Republicans do not have the two-thirds majority needed to give legislation immediate effect, meaning Secure MI Vote would need to complete the petition process including signature collection and state review this year for the changes to take effect in 2022. Elections will be unsecure for decades to come if this Proposal passes. Michigan does not currently have ID rules for absentee ballot applications, but voters are required to show ID when registering, and election clerk workers perform a form of identity check on absentee ballot applications by comparing voter signatures to those on file with the state. Wit received nearly $12,000 and used the money to increase pay for some workers and bring in part-time staff to handle a record number of absentee ballots. So if people still have petitions, they get them in today," he said on Tuesday. Why arent they being worked on? Weve tried different mechanisms to make sure that if the people submit circulated petitions or initiated legislation, for constitutional amendments or otherwise, that theres at least a timely resolution to that. Michigan Require Voter ID and Prohibit Private Funding for Election Administration Purposes Initiative (2024), https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Michigan_Require_Voter_ID_and_Prohibit_Private_Funding_for_Election_Administration_Purposes_Initiative_(2024)&oldid=9045540, Not on the ballot future date statewide ballot measures, Did not make ballot, voting policy measures, Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022, Special Congressional elections (2023-2024), 2022 Congressional Competitiveness Report, State Executive Competitiveness Report, 2022, State Legislative Competitiveness Report, 2022, Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections. 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. There has to be adequate notice given to the public and an opportunity to review things so that meaningful debate and objection can occur, Trebilcock said. 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. In 2020, people died after they sent in their absentee ballot and before Election Day. Absent Voter Ballot application available - Thursday, Feb. 16th. Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts. More:Michigan clerks concerned . Here's an overview of the checks in place to prevent voter fraud. Republican-backed group files petition language for tightening voter ID, absentee rules in Michigan, Whitmer, Gilchrist & liberal activists prepping to fight Republican voting bills, potential petitions, Michigan Senate GOP debuts election reforms critical of Secretary of States handling of November election. Make your contribution today to fund more vetted news reports throughout mid-Michigan! The state of Michigan already requires residents to present photo identification when registering to vote, and voters are required to present photo ID when voting in person. However, the committee did warn that severe weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the Michigan election system should be fixed to avoid potential fraud in future elections. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Rather than sign the SMV petition, Im urging everyone to support candidates who work to make voting easier and secure. Contact her at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. FILE - Michigan Gov. "As with all statutory language and laws, thereis some interpretation and that will have to be determined,"he said. The campaign Secure MI Vote filed a petition with the State Board of Canvassers on September 2, 2021. Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Organizers say the proposal would reduce the potential for election fraud. None of the major legislative proposals have reached Whitmer. Support local journalism by becoming a new WKAR donor and get ad-free feeds of your favorite NPR podcasts with NPR+ when you donate $8/month or more! 2023 Bridge Michigan. Workers from P&G Power prepare to replace a pair of isolating switches on Stadium Boulevard near Brockman Boulevard in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. These are improvements popular with the public and do not jeopardize security. A more likely scenario: Any new voting laws approved through the initiative process would instead take effect in 2023 and be operative for the 2024 election, when Trump could again seek a second term. By The Associated Press. "If you are going to their website, you are soliciting that application,"he said. LANSING Michigan Republicans are launching a petition drive to tighten state voting laws following a combative 2020 election marked by former President Donald Trump's false claims of widespread fraud. Clerks across Michigan received money from the Center for Tech and Civic Life in 2020. TheSecure MI Vote initiative that proposes newvoter ID requirements,electionfunding restrictions and a ban on unsolicited mailings of absentee ballot applications announced a similar plan. The summary will appear on the petition forms, which need 340,047 signatures from registered voters to be taken up by the state Legislature. We all need to vote NO on Proposal 2 on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Jacob and Secure Michigan Vote say State Representative Cynthia Johnson demeaned. Michigan is one of more than 20 states that allows citizens to propose, revise or repeal laws by collecting a certain number of petition signatures from registered voters. Rather than sign a petition to make voting harder for no reason, call your representative and senator and ask them to make real improvements. Secure MI Vote spokesperson Jamie Roe said that leaves room for fraud. 3 min read The Secure MI Vote petition suggests Michigan's voting process is not secure, and that to 'fix it' voting must be harder. Voting rights advocates argue tighter ID rules would amount to voter suppression and have a disproportionate impact on low-income and minority residents. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; Ballotpedia features 395,443 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. she asked. However, the state currently allows voters who cannot present a photo ID to cast their vote using a signed affidavit, through which they declare their identity and residence under penalty of perjury. The term "citizen ballot measure" is used to describe citizen-initiated processes to amend state constitutions or city charters, to uphold or repeal a law passed by the state legislature (veto referendum), to propose state laws, to approve bond issues or tax proposals, or to initiate a recall election. Under Michigan election law, the sponsor of an initiative, referendum, or constitutional amendment petition may request approval of the summary of the purpose of the petition prior to placing the petition in circulation. The master list of eligible voters is linked with public records. Thats the plan for Secure MI Vote, but the committee is facing a tight timeline to change any laws by the 2022 election, when Republicans hope to unseat Whitmer and fellow Democrats like Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel. 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.. Places that have provided free access to their space during elections "are just good community partners trying to be civically minded,"Wit said. 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 left-leaning advocacy group Progress Michigan found that about 20% of polling locations for the 2020 election were churches or places of worship whose continued use as polling locations could be impacted by the Secure MI Vote initiative. As a poll worker, I understand how the system prioritizes security and integrity. Registration: You must prove citizenship, identity, and residency to register. 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. 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. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Joe Biden speaks to the House Democratic Caucus . 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