Michigan Senate Committee Advances Bills to Curb Election Fraud
Efforts to tighten regulations on political petition circulators in Michigan took a significant step forward as a Senate committee approved a series of bills aimed at reducing election fraud and misinformation. A key measure in the package seeks to prohibit the payment of petition circulators based on the number of signatures they collect, a practice critics claim encourages deceptive tactics.
Senator Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield), who leads the Senate Elections and Ethics Committee, highlighted the prevalence of dishonest practices in recent election cycles. He stated, “Each election cycle provides new reporting of bad actors using deception and dishonesty as the tools to garner signatures for their cause.”
Moss emphasized the need for Michigan to catch up with other states that have already implemented measures to combat political petition fraud. He argued that Michigan’s current laws inadequately address fraudulent behaviors among paid petition circulators, describing them as overdue for reform.
In a notable incident in 2022, five Republican gubernatorial candidates were removed from the Michigan primary ballot due to fraudulent signatures collected by paid circulators. More details on that incident can be found here.
Another proposed measure targets the dissemination of false information regarding voting logistics, including the time, place, and manner of voting.
Democrats on the committee unanimously supported the bills. However, some Republicans expressed reservations. Senator Ruth Johnson (R-Groveland Township), who previously served as Michigan’s Secretary of State, voiced her concerns: “But I really don’t think they represent really an effective deterrent to fraud,” she said. “I also feel like the legislation addressing false statements and misrepresentations, in particular, could be enforced in a very partisan or political-motivated manner.”
The bills will now proceed to the Senate floor for further consideration. A similar legislative effort succeeded in the Senate last year but stalled in the House before the session concluded in December.
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