(WXYZ) — Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson denounced the Republican-proposed election changes introduced in the state Legislature.
RELATED: Michigan Republicans propose slew of election changes including new absentee ballot rules
Benson described the legislation as an "anti-democratic, un-American attack on Michigan citizens' voting rights."
“Michigan’s GOP legislators have joined a national, coordinated, partisan effort based on false information about the 2020 election to attack all citizens’ freedom to vote,” Benson said. “The truth is that the 2020 election was secure, fair, and an accurate reflection of the will of the people, and legislation that seeks to undo the policies that brought about its record-setting turnout and success is anti-American and does harm to every Michigander.”
The bills would require voters to submit a photo ID, prohibit the unsolicited mass mailing of absentee ballot applications, and restrict the hours in which people could drop their ballot in curbside boxes.
Republican senators, citing a surge in absentee voting in 2020, said changes are needed to ensure election integrity. The 39-bill package would let 16- and 17-year-olds preregister to vote, create an “early voting” day 10 days before Election Day, require training of partisan election challengers, and mandate video monitoring of all ballot drop boxes.
More than 5.5 million people voted in Michigan’s presidential election — the most ever and the highest percentage of voting-age residents to cast a ballot in 60 years.
