Setting the Record Straight on Michigan's Citizen-Only Voting Proposal

The League of Women Voters is circulating a message full of distortions about a straightforward ballot proposal to require proof of citizenship for voter registration in Michigan. They’re attempting to scare people away from measures that safeguard our elections. This proposal isn’t about barriers—it’s about integrity, ensuring every legal vote counts, and preventing fraud in a system that’s already seen non-citizen voting slip through.

Let’s break down their misleading points:

Claim: The proposal requires a birth certificate or passport to register, and nearly 700,000 Michiganders can’t access these docs, costing over $100.

This is a wild exaggeration. The actual proposal allows a range of documents to prove citizenship, including a Real ID-compliant driver’s license (which most Michiganders already have), military ID with service records, or even a government-issued photo ID showing U.S. birthplace—not just birth certificates or passports. It also includes a state-funded hardship program to help anyone obtain these docs for free if needed, directly addressing cost concerns.

In reality, Michigan birth certificates cost as little as $10-34, not “$100+,” and many people already have them from everyday life (like getting a job or driver’s license). The “700,000” figure comes from opposition groups cherry-picking national estimates and ignoring Michigan-specific data and accommodations. If anything, this proposal streamlines verification while protecting taxpayers from funding elections diluted by ineligible voters.

Claim: It makes voting harder for married women, overseas/military voters, students, rural voters, voters with disabilities, and low-income voters.

Pure hyperbole. The proposal builds in flexibility. For example, overseas and military voters can use their existing military records or passports, which they often already need for service-related purposes. Students and rural voters can use common IDs like enhanced driver’s licenses. For married women (who might have name changes), the system allows verification through standard docs that account for such changes, just like in other states with similar rules. Disabilities and low-income status are explicitly addressed via the free hardship assistance program—no one is left out. Contrast this with our current system, where non-citizens have been caught voting (e.g., a Chinese student in Washtenaw County who voted illegally and only got flagged by chance … and now he’s fled the country). This isn’t suppression; it’s fairness. Over 30 states already require some form of citizenship proof or enhanced ID without mass disenfranchisement.

Claim: Signature gatherers are misinforming voters.

This is a classic deflection tactic with no widespread evidence—it’s the LWV and their allies who are spreading misinformation by mischaracterizing the proposal’s purpose and effects. What “reporters” have documented issues in the petition drive? Show us the evidence! This is about verifying citizenship through a statewide program, individual submissions, or provisional ballots, with penalties for fraud to keep things honest. If the LWV truly cared about transparency, they’d support cross-checks with federal databases to root out the thousands of non-citizens already found on Michigan rolls in past audits.

The truth is, Michigan’s elections are vulnerable right now. Non-citizens can get driver’s licenses and auto-register to vote without citizenship checks, and our Secretary of State has resisted efforts to clean the rolls. This proposal fixes that by requiring verification for new registrants after 2026, ongoing checks for existing voters, and removal of confirmed non-citizens after due process. It even allows provisional voting with a grace period to submit proof post-election. Why oppose that unless you want to keep the door open for ineligible votes?

We need your help to counter this narrative

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners is set to vote on an anti-proposal resolution on January 21—show up, speak out, and demand they prioritize secure elections over partisan posturing. Contact your commissioners today, share this message, and volunteer with us to gather signatures for the 2026 ballot. Together, we can ensure Michigan elections are fair, secure, and citizen-only.