In a bid to spotlight the procedural intricacies of Michigan’s ballot initiation process, the advocacy group Americans for Citizen Voting (ACV) recently presented their concerns to the state House. This meeting marks the second gathering of the Select House Committee, but notably, it was the first instance where testimonies were heard.
Paul Jacob, who leads the ACV ballot initiative, raised issues regarding the transparency of the process. He said, “We did not know when we would get the staff report. We didn’t know other things because there’s no set timetable.” Jacob emphasized the need for clearer rules and deadlines, following delays in receiving a crucial report on April-submitted signatures, which arrived only by mid-August.
Despite submitting over 700,000 signatures, a sample assessment by the Michigan Bureau of Elections (BOE) indicated insufficient valid signatures to place the measure on the ballot. The state requires more than 440,000 valid signatures for ballot qualification.
Angela Benander, spokesperson for the Michigan Department of State, assured that procedures adhered to legal standards. “The BOE’s timeline is driven by the statutory and constitutional deadlines for the Board of State Canvassers to review petitions,” Benander stated.
During a March 2026 meeting, BOE Director Jonathan Brater explained the prioritization of candidate petitions over others, noting the labor-intensive nature of the petition review process. This approach led to delays for initiatives like ACV’s, which sought an amendment for citizenship verification of all Michigan voters.
ACV’s efforts come amid broader conservative endeavors to address perceived voter fraud, despite the Secretary of State’s Office reporting only 15 instances of non-citizen voting out of 5.7 million ballots in 2024. Critics, particularly Democrats, view the amendment as potentially suppressive due to increased identification requirements.
House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) established the select committee, citing unverified claims of partisan bias by the Department of State against conservative-backed measures. He remarked, “Whenever a Republican-affiliated group submits something on the ballot, it takes months and months and months to review it, and then they always figure out a way to disqualify it.”
In contrast, the Michiganders for Money Out of Politics initiative was approved without such controversies. Select Committee Chair Rep. Mike Harris (R-Waterford Township) clarified that the committee’s focus remains on refining the process rather than revisiting past campaigns or assuming wrongdoing. “We are not here to decide whether we agree with the proposed amendment. We are not here to relitigate a political campaign, and we are not beginning this investigation with a conclusion about whether anyone did anything wrong,” Harris stated.
For Jacob and ACV supporters, simplifying procedures is crucial. “It’s the whole attitude about whether government is really there to facilitate democracy or to stand in the way,” Jacob concluded.
—
Read More Michigan News
