INITIATIVE PETITION AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION
Type: Constitutional Amendment
Every citizen of the United States who has attained the age of 21 18 years, who has resided in this state six months, and who meets the requirements of local residence provided by law, shall be an elector and qualified to vote in any election except as otherwise provided in this constitution. The legislature shall define residence for voting purposes. ONLY CITIZENS ARE QUALIFIED TO VOTE IN ELECTIONS MISLEADING CLAIM Only U.S. citizens are already qualified to vote in Michigan elections. This language duplicates existing constitutional law while implying a nonexistent loophole. , AND AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS NOT A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES IS NOT QUALIFIED TO VOTE IN ANY ELECTION.
UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP SHALL BE VERIFIED FOR VOTING PURPOSES IN ONE OF THREE WAYS PROBLEMATIC MECHANISM This establishes a mandatory statewide citizenship verification regime despite Michigan finding noncitizen voting to be extremely rare. . FIRST, THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL CONTINUALLY ADMINISTER A CITIZENSHIP VERIFICATION PROGRAM UNDER WHICH THE STATE VERIFIES THAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL LISTED IN THE QUALIFIED VOTER FILE IS A UNITED STATES CITIZEN MASS VERIFICATION REQUIREMENT This presumes all voters must be continuously re-verified. Mass verification systems are error-prone and risk wrongful voter challenges or removals. .
THE PROGRAM SHALL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO CONTINUOUSLY OBTAIN AND USE DOCUMENTATION AND DATA FROM FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT ALLOWED UNDER FEDERAL LAW. THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO BIRTH CERTIFICATES, UNITED STATES NATURALIZATION RECORDS ADMINISTRATIVE IMPOSSIBILITY Many eligible voters do not have ready access to these documents. Reliance on fragmented records creates false negatives that disenfranchise lawful voters. .
THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL REMOVE FROM THE LIST OF VOTERS VOTER REMOVAL AUTHORITY This grants broad removal authority based on database matches or investigations, shifting the burden onto voters to prove eligibility. ELIGIBLE TO VOTE ANY REGISTRANT WHO IS NOT A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES.
THE INDIVIDUAL IS OFFERED A SHOWN ORIGINAL AFFIDAVIT OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP ROLLBACK OF SAFEGUARDS Affidavits are a long-standing safeguard for eligible voters lacking documents. This initiative later eliminates affidavit-based voting entirely. AND DOCUMENTARY PROOF WITHIN FORTY-FIVE DAYS.
THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SUBSECTION ARE SATISFIED EXCEPT AS NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH 52 U.S.C. § 20507 LEGAL SHIELDING This clause attempts to preempt legal challenges by invoking federal law without clarifying how conflicts will be resolved. .
NOT LATER THAN JANUARY 31 OF EACH YEAR SURVEILLANCE EXPANSION Mandated annual reporting expands voter data aggregation without demonstrating necessity proportional to risk. , THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO EACH MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE.
IF THE UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP OF A REGISTRANT OR APPLICANT FOR REGISTRATION IS NOT VERIFIED COERCIVE DEFAULT Non-verification becomes grounds for ballot rejection even when eligibility exists. , A BALLOT MAY BE TABULATED ONLY IF VOTE NULLIFICATION RISK Ballots may be discarded unless documentation is produced within a narrow window. DOCUMENTATION IS SUBMITTED WITHIN SIX DAYS.
DOCUMENTARY PROOF OF UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTARY BARRIER Restricting acceptable proof disproportionately affects elderly, rural, and low-income voters. :
- REAL ID-compliant identification
- Valid United States passport
- Military ID with birth record
- Government-issued photo ID showing place of birth
Violators are subject violators to $1,000 fine and/or up to 5 years imprisonment PUNITIVE ESCALATION Felony-level punishment without evidence of widespread harm escalates administrative errors into criminal exposure. .