Michigan Senate Passes Bills Expanding Voter ID Requirements

LANSING, MI — The Michigan Senate on Wednesday voted to pass three bills expanding what is required of voters in order to confirm their identities before their ballots are counted.

Senate Bills 303 and 304 remove the option to vote by affidavit if a voter doesn't have or forgets a suitable ID on Election Day. Senate Bill 285 requires voters to submit ID information when applying for an absentee ballot application. They were all approved through party lines.

“Michigan already has a voter ID law on the books that works," said Clare Allenson, Democracy For All Director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. "All these bills do is take away options from voters on Election Day, removing our option to vote by signing an affidavit.

“Today’s Senate vote is yet another example of how some lawmakers in Lansing are laser focused on making it harder for Michiganders to exercise their freedom to vote.”

The bills — sponsored by Republican senators Tom Barrett, Curt VanderWall and Lana Theis, respectively, are viewed by some as undue restrictions to the voting process.

They now will go to the Michigan House of Representatives before landing on the desk of Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, where they would likely be vetoed by the Democratic governor.

The bills are all part of a GOP-led initiative to place restrictions on election laws in key battleground states. A 39-bill package was introduced in March by Michigan Republicans following former President Donald Trump's November 2020 loss to President Joe Biden in the general election.

The loss led to unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in Michigan and other swing states.

Theis said the bills don't create any risk, according to The Detroit News.

"It’s not voter suppression. It’s not an undue burden," Theis said, The Detroit News reported. "As a matter of fact, across the globe, ID is required to vote."

But many Democrats opposing the bills said they just make barriers to voting.

"Today's actions in the State Senate were deplorable, racist, and quite frankly shameful," Lavora Barnes, chair of the Michigan Democratic Party, said in a statement Wednesday. "Michigan's 2020 elections were safe and secure. But that has not stopped the Republicans from launching an all-out attack on our right to vote. Their goal is simple and transparent - the GOP wants fewer people to vote. Because they know what we know - when people vote, Democrats win.

"This collective battle being waged by the GOP across the country is designed to create insurmountable barriers to voting and is a direct affront to the millions of people that have spent decades fighting for our right to vote. We will not stand idly by and allow this to happen. If you vote for this legislation, the people will vote you out of office."