LANSING -- Michigan could become the latest state to adopt its own Voting Rights Act. Testimony in favor of the legislation took place in a senate committee this week.
Seven other states have adopted similar measures, covering nearly 30% of the US population.
The main measure of the legislative package would prevent state agencies and local governments from establishing restrictions on voting access that would disproportionately impact minorities.
“Our job as policymakers and frankly, as Americans, is to ensure that our elections are free, fair and accessible to everyone,” said Sen. Darrin Camilleri, D-Trenton.
Leaders from the NAACP and voting rights groups spoke in support of the bills, saying the legislation would help protect equitable voting access in Michigan.
“We must be very clear — the history of voting for Black and brown people in these United States had been filled with trauma and terror,” said Rev. Wendell Anthony, president of the Detroit NAACP. “The right to vote with access to the voting booth is critical and it’s often been a matter of life and death. Here in Michigan, we have an opportunity to remain up front.”
Other bills in the package would establish a state election database with information and data from previous elections, allow older and disabled voters to request a curbside vote and require municipalities to provide language assistance if a certain number of non-english speakers live in the area.
The package also establishes several rights that have been limited in some conservative-led states, including allowing nonpartisan nonprofits to provide transportation to polling sites and allowing individuals to provide food or entertainment for those in line outside of a polling place.
Some lawmakers expressed concerns that the legislation is seeking to address circumstances that haven’t yet been widespread in the state.
“In essence, we’re legislating because something might happen, not because it has,” said Sen. Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, who also served previously as secretary of state. “Michigan has been named one of the best states in the nation for years, because we have not had a plethora of these types of problems, mainly because we have more local clerks, more people that conduct our elections than any other state in the nation.”
Supporters of the package say that certain federal statutes should be codified into state law following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The package of bills will be considered in a Senate committee in the coming weeks. Any measures passed into law would not go into effect until mid-2025.
