The Fight Over Michigan Voter ID Amendment Continues in Court
A proposed state constitutional amendment in Michigan that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo ID to ensure a vote is counted has hit a roadblock. The campaign behind the amendment, Americans for Citizen Voting Michigan, has filed a lawsuit over a decision by the Michigan Board of State Canvassers that kept the measure off the ballot.
Earlier this week, the board was divided on whether to accept late proof that the campaign had collected enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. A deadlock ensued, halting the progress of the amendment.
Americans for Citizen Voting Michigan is now seeking intervention from the state Supreme Court to resolve the issue. Campaign chair Paul Jacob expressed concern in a press release, stating, “More than 700,000 Michiganders signed this petition. We have the signatures required to qualify, and we are asking the Michigan Supreme Court to ensure those voters are not silenced because the Board of State Canvassers failed to do its job.”
The campaign initially submitted more signatures than necessary to qualify for the ballot. However, after a review of a sample of signatures and challenges to their validity, the campaign was found to be slightly short. In an attempt to sway the board’s decision, the campaign presented notarized affidavits from rejected signers to prove the signatures’ validity.
During a recent board meeting, members were split on whether to accept the new affidavits as evidence. While some members felt the affidavits could push the campaign over the required signature threshold, others raised concerns about the timeliness of the submissions, as they were not provided 48 hours in advance as per the board’s rule.
The lawsuit filed by Americans for Citizen Voting Michigan is pushing for a decision by September 1, as the deadline for finalizing the November ballot approaches. The case hinges on how the Michigan Supreme Court interprets the 48-hour rule and the board’s duty to certify petitions.
Additionally, the issue has attracted the attention of state lawmakers, leading the Michigan House of Representatives to establish a new select committee to investigate the matter further.
