Michigan House passes bill requiring voters to prove citizenship
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LANSING, Mich. (WJRT) – The Michigan House passed legislation requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration and casting a ballot on Election Day.
State representatives voted 58-46 mostly along party lines Tuesday to approve House Bill 4765. Republican State Rep. Jason Woolford of Howell sponsored the bill.
“Election integrity should not be controversial,” he said. “As lawmakers, we owe it to the people of Michigan to guarantee that only U.S. citizens are voting.”
Woolford said Michigan elections have been vulnerable to interference for too long without requirements for voters to prove their citizenship. He said the bill passed Tuesday would “ensure that our elections are being held in a secure manner.”
Woolford emphasized the need for the legislation, saying Michiganders deserve to have their voices respected.
“Unfortunately, without requiring identification, we have been threatening the sanctity of our voting process,” Woolford said. “The people of Michigan deserve better, and today we delivered.”
The bill now heads to the Democrat-led Michigan Senate for further consideration. Democrats, who have a majority in the Senate, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer have spoken against additional requirements for voters.
Existing state law says only U.S. citizens are eligible to register to vote or cast a ballot in any election.
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has said there is no evidence to support claims that large numbers of noncitizens have voted in past elections or are currently registering to vote.
