The Headlines
Michigan House Republicans are moving fast to attempt to roll back voter protections that were overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2022. This week, State Rep. Bryan Posthumus introduced HJR B, an anti-democratic attempt to restrict the ability of eligible citizens to register to vote by introducing unnecessary and oppressive new requirements.
This proposed amendment is a direct assault on Michigan citizens’ access to the ballot that Voters Not Politicians, our coalition partners, and our supporters worked so hard to secure just two years ago. This is a blatant attempt to undermine the will of Michigan voters and diminish the power of the people to have a voice in their democracy.
The Details
- House Joint Resolution B mirrors the federal “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act” (SAVE Act), H.R. 8281, which was introduced by Congressional Republicans in 2024 and is expected to be re-introduced. If adopted by two-thirds majority of both chambers of the Michigan state legislature, the amendment would be placed on the ballot in November 2026 where it would need to be passed by a simple majority vote to be adopted into the state constitution.
- Republicans have also signaled that they are preparing to attempt a citizen-initiated petition drive to get the amendment on the ballot.
- Under Michigan HJR B, eligible voters would no longer be able to register to vote using their driver’s license or other state-provided identification alone. The constitutional amendment would also effectively gut voter registration by mail and online.
- The amendment would require that upon registering to vote, individuals provide documentary proof of citizenship, which includes passport, naturalization papers, or birth certificate, which people who have changed their names – including many married women—would be unable to use.
- Because voters would be required to present their proof of citizenship documents in person at the office of the appropriate election official, military members and their families who are deployed overseas would not be able to register to vote at all.
- HJR B would apply to new voter registrations starting on Dec. 18, 2026, and would require an “ongoing systematic process” to continually re-verify the citizenship of the millions of Michiganders who are already registered to vote. This would inevitably lead to purges of eligible voters from the voter rolls.
- It’s important to note that this type of highly restrictive “proof of citizenship” has already failed in other states.
- Kansas passed similar legislation in 2011. The result was that 31,000 eligible US citizens, 12% of first time registrants, were blocked from registering to vote. Ultimately, the restrictions were blocked by the courts.
- Arizona enacted more restrictive voter registration laws in 2022, and the result in 2024 was a disproportionate number of the state’s college students, unhoused residents, and those living on tribal lands were prevented from voting in local and state elections.
- HJR B would also eliminate the ability for voters to prove their identity by signing an affidavit, an option that has been available in Michigan for decades and a right that Michiganders added into the constitution in 2022. While only a small percentage of voters typically use the affidavit option, those voters represent 99% of Michigan counties.
- The introduction of HJR B flies in the face of the stated will of millions of Michiganders who voted to expand ballot access just two years ago with the passage of Proposal 22-2, a citizen-led initiative that Voters Not Politicians heavily supported as part of the Promote the Vote 2022 coalition.
- Voters Not Politicians is working in coalition with our partners in voting rights advocacy to prepare to fight back against these attacks on Michigan voters.
- Earlier this week, our Democracy Engagement team began preparing Legislative Liaison volunteers to stand up to this anti-democratic scheme.
- In a program first launched in 2023, VNP Legislative Liaison volunteers meet directly with their elected officials in the Michigan House and Senate to advocate for Voters Not Politicians’ legislative priorities.
What’s Next
Michigan’s elections are already secure and transparent. There is no jurisdiction in the state of Michigan where it is legal for noncitizens to vote. HJR B and its proposed changes are an unworkable solution to a nonexistent problem, and would disenfranchise thousands of eligible voters.
Voters Not Politicians will stand up to this attack on voters and voting access. We are activating our statewide grassroots network of volunteers to alert them to this anti-democratic resolution, and urge them to contact their representatives to tell them to oppose this dangerous proposal.
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