LANSING, Mich. — A petition aimed at protecting Michigan voter rights has surpassed the required 425,059 signatures needed to get on the ballot in November, organizers said Monday.
Promote the Vote 2022 and its partner originations across the state announced that they collected 669,972 signatures, 244,913 more signatures than required.
The signatures were turned into the Michigan Secretary of State on Monday.
“The Michigan League of Conservation Voters is proud to have helped get this important measure on the November ballot,” said Brooke Harris, voting rights manager for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “Our air, our water and our voting rights are inextricably linked, and we support this ballot initiative because voting is a fundamental right that should be enshrined in our state’s Constitution.”
Promote the Vote 2022 is designed to make elections more accessible and secure by:
- Allowing Michigan voters serving in the military to have their ballot counted if postmarked by Election Day.
- Allowing voters to request an absentee ballot be mailed to them for all future elections without having to submit an application each time.
- Giving voters nine days of early in-person voting.
- Requiring voters to prove their identity by showing a photo ID or signing an affidavit.
- Providing secure ballot drop boxes and a statewide tracking system for absentee ballots.
- Prohibiting the use of laws, rules, or procedures that interfere with the right to vote.
- Prohibiting intimidating conduct at polling locations.
Several organizations from West Michigan helped in the gathering of signatures including Grand Rapids PROACTIVE, a non-partisan election protection coalition.
“As a non-partisan organization, our interest is to empower our community and preserve the election process, which Promote the Vote 2022 does,” said Kathi Harris, executive director of GR Proactive. “The overwhelming support for this ballot initiative will ensure our elections are fair, accurate and secure and that election results are determined the way they should be, by the votes of Michigan citizens.”
If at least 425,059 of the petition's signatures are certified, the measure will be put on the ballot in November, letting Michiganders vote on constitutional amendment.
If at least 51 percent of Michiganders vote "Yes" for the ballot measure in November, the state's constitution will be amended.
Another group aiming to impose stricter voter ID requirements and restrict absentee voting through a petition to put veto-proof legislation on the November ballot did not submit their signatures by the June 1 deadline.
Secure MI Vote says they collected more than the required number of signatures but wanted to make sure they had enough after fraudulent signatures were found.
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