Board of State Canvassers approves 100‑word summary for citizenship and voter ID constitutional amendment

The Michigan Board of State Canvassers approved a revised 100‑word summary on April 18 for a proposed constitutional amendment sponsored by the Committee to Protect Voters’ Rights that would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship and new ID checks for some voting processes.

The summary, as revised and read into the record by staff, says the amendment would require voters to verify citizenship with a birth certificate, passport or other documents when registering; eliminate the affidavit alternative for voters without photo ID; require photo ID or a driver’s‑license number or partial Social Security number to receive or vote an absentee ballot; direct the secretary of state to review voter rolls and remove noncitizens using government records; bar counting ballots from voters who do not show both citizenship documents and photo ID unless they cure within six days; and require a hardship program to pay for required documents at state expense.

Why it matters: The 100‑word summary will appear on the petition circulated to collect signatures and will shape what potential signers and, ultimately, voters see on a ballot. Supporters say the proposal aims to protect the integrity of Michigan elections; opponents say it will make voting harder for people who lack or cannot promptly obtain documentary proof of citizenship, and for groups already facing barriers such as low‑income residents, some older voters, people experiencing homelessness and returning citizens.

What the board did

Director Bridal and Bureau of Elections staff presented the draft summary and explained the office’s reading of the amendment’s requirements. Charlie Spies, an attorney with Dickinson Wright representing the Committee to Protect Voters’ Rights, urged several wording changes to make the summary “true and impartial” and to note the six‑day cure period for provisional ballots. Spies said the committee’s preferred wording would avoid listing only a narrow set of documents (“birth certificate, passport, or other”) and would highlight that the amendment creates a hardship remedy for people who cannot pay to obtain documents.

Mark Brewer, counsel to Promote the Vote Action (opposed), told the board the proposal is “vague” and said listing only examples of documents would not disclose the practical burdens signers would face. Brewer cited experiences in other states and warned the amendment would impose new qualifications to register and vote that could “disenfranchise” eligible citizens without the required documents.

Public commenters voiced strong views on both sides. Heather Cummings and other speakers asked whether a voter who casts a ballot without photo ID would still be able to cast a provisional ballot and then have six days to cure; Spies and staff explained the amendment would treat such ballots as provisional and require documentary verification within six days for the ballot to be counted. Several commenters, including Mariah Bryant of Voters Not Politicians and witnesses working with returning citizens and low‑income voters, urged the board to make the summary explicitly note the burdens on people who may lack birth certificates, face name‑change complications, or have difficulty paying fees or traveling to obtain documents.

After staff posted a revised draft that incorporated some edits discussed in the meeting, a board member moved and the board voted to approve the 100‑word summary as amended. The board then conditionally approved the petition’s form (font size, required text on the petition face, and page formatting) on the condition that the circulated petitions use the summary approved by the board.

What the summary says (key provisions reported by the board)

- Require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship (examples cited: birth certificate, passport or other documents) to verify citizenship for voter registration. - Eliminate the affidavit alternative for voters without photo ID when voting. - Require a photo ID, driver’s‑license number or partial Social Security number to receive or vote an absentee ballot. - Require the secretary of state to review voter rolls, verify citizenship using documents and government records, and remove noncitizens. - Prohibit counting ballots from voters who lack both citizenship documents and photo ID unless they provide the documents within six days after the election. - Require a hardship program to pay for required documents at state expense.

What supporters said

Charlie Spies, attorney for the Committee to Protect Voters’ Rights, said the director’s draft had captured the amendment’s main elements and that his group sought wording tweaks to avoid implying limits on the range of acceptable documents and to make clear the six‑day cure process for provisional ballots. “We believe the director did a good job,” Spies said, while proposing five editorial changes to make the summary “true and impartial.” Several other supporters argued the measure merely brings Michigan into alignment with steps other states have taken to verify eligibility.

What opponents and many public commenters said

Mark Brewer, attorney for a committee opposing the amendment, told the board the proposal would impose new qualifications and could deny eligible citizens the ability to register and vote. “The proposal is so vague … it will disenfranchise millions of Michigan voters,” Brewer said, citing experience from other states where proof‑of‑citizenship requirements led to large numbers of people being unable to register.

Multiple public commenters, including organizers who work with formerly incarcerated people and those experiencing homelessness, said the six‑day cure period and the costs of obtaining documents would be real and structural barriers. Others asked whether Real ID or enhanced Real ID would count as proof of citizenship and raised practical questions about how the secretary of state would implement a statewide review.

Board action and next steps

The board formally approved the 100‑word summary as revised and conditionally approved the petition form; staff will supply the approved summary text for any petitions circulated for signatures. Staff said they will complete their review of the petition circulator records and report back to the board at a future meeting; the bureau also noted it had served subpoenas in a related investigation and received additional materials that remain under review.

Ending note

The petition must collect the required number of valid signatures to qualify for ballot circulation; if that threshold is met, the measure (with any official ballot language required under state law) ultimately may appear before Michigan voters. For now, the board’s action governs only the short summary that appears on petitions and the petition form’s format.