The Michigan Democratic Party officially came out in opposition to a ballot measure that advocates are hoping to put on the 2026 ballot which would implement strict voter ID rules starting in the 2027 election cycle.
“The voter suppression ballot measure, that submitted petition signatures earlier this month with the hope of getting on the November ballot, is a blatant attempt from Michigan Republicans to make it harder to vote and disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of Michiganders,” Michigan Democratic Party Chair Curtis Hertel said in a press release. “This measure would put in place burdensome requirements for voters, force many to re-register to vote, and only make the voting process more difficult. Michigan’s elections are safe and secure, and this is just a power-grab attempt from Michigan Republicans who are desperate to limit access to the ballot box.”
The proposal would establish new voter roll verifications, compelling the secretary of state to regularly review voter rolls and remove non-citizens if they are found. It would also establish a new requirement for voters to possess a photo ID before casting a vote.
The group behind the proposal, Americans for Citizen Voting, said in early March that they had collected 750,000 signatures on their proposal, well above the threshold to get the initiative on the ballot, though those signatures have not yet been verified by the Department of State.
Other groups in opposition, including Voters Not Politicians, have shared similar concerns about the ballot measure, arguing that it will make it harder for eligible citizens to vote — and that it is already a legal requirement that only U.S. citizens can vote in elections.
Democratic Party leadership also came out in opposition to a state constitutional convention, or “Con-Con,” with Hertel saying that both ballot measures “would have disastrous effects on our state, and Michigan families cannot afford either one. The Michigan Democratic Party is urging voters to vote no on both measures.”
The last time Michigan voted to take on a constitutional convention was in 1961, when the ballot question passed by just two percentage points. Since then, the ballot questions have failed by large margins, with no votes getting 77% of the vote in 1978, 72% in 1994 and 67% in 2010.
“A constitutional convention would be a long and drawn-out process where wealthy insiders and special interests would attempt to re-write Michigan’s constitution and put at risk the progress that voters have passed in recent years, including protecting abortion rights and establishing a nonpartisan redistricting process,” Hertel said. “Voters have rejected previous constitutional conventions by large margins, and it’s crucial that Michiganders once again reject a constitutional convention this November.
Other groups in opposition to the constitutional convention have similarly said that it would open the state constitution up to a wide range of outside interest groups, especially far-right interests seeking to undo progressive changes made in recent years.
