The Michigan House recently approved House Bill 4765, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in the state. The bill drew criticism from many Michigan residents, who argued it was unnecessary and would only make the voting process more difficult.
Sponsored by Republican Jason Woolford, the bill passed in a 58-46 party-line vote. According to reports, Woolford said Michigan elections “have been vulnerable to interference for too long,” and that this change could help address that by helping “ensure that our elections are being held in a secure manner.”
The bill will now head to the Senate, where it must also be approved before it can become law. However, because the chamber is led by Democrats, some opposition is expected, and the bill is far from guaranteed to advance.
Michigan Locals Slam Government’s Voter ID Bill
Michigan voters were not happy with the bill when discussing it on Reddit’s r/Michigan. One user complained that “widespread voter fraud is a myth created by Republicans as a scare tactic,” and that the legislation did not need to change.
Others criticized the House, saying, “Performative nonsense. This isn’t a bill to stop voter fraud. The amount of non-citizen votes is nearly nonexistent. It’s a bill that is striving to add as much red tape to the voting process as possible.”
One seemingly angry commenter explained how burdensome the bill could make voting for local residents: “It’s not a voter ID bill. It’s a poll tax. A normal driver’s license isn’t enough. Your marriage certificate isn’t enough. You would either need an original copy of your birth certificate or a passport, both of which are expensive and time-consuming to obtain.” Someone else chimed in, saying, “That’s by design. Republicans don’t want brown people, poor people, married women, and LGBTQ folks voting.”
Indeed, there is a significant chance that House Bill 4765 will not move forward, but at the moment, it is impossible to know for certain. For now, the debate surrounding the bill remains heated.
