(The Center Square) – People in Michigan continue to have the ability to change the state’s voting process and to vote early.
The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear a challenge from 11 Michigan lawmakers who wanted to stop citizen-led ballot initiatives relating to elections.
The group sued in 2023, saying Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson violated the U.S. Constitution by adopting two amendments approved by voters. The two established voting rights, such as early voting; voter ID rules; ballot drop boxes; straight-party voting; and automatic registration.
“This is a victory for the people of Michigan,” Benson said in a statement. “The U.S. Supreme Court’s action has rightly upheld the power of Michigan voters to amend the state constitution and preserves the important checks and balances in our democratic process. Now that the Supreme Court has sided with people over politicians, I hope this marks the end of an era filled with frivolous lawsuits and attacks on our elections, our democracy, and the voting rights of every eligible citizen.”
The lawmakers said the constitution calls for state legislators to change election law, rather than a vote of the people. The suit also wanted amendments passed in 2018 and 2022 to be eliminated because those were also approved by voters.
The lawsuit failed on every level.
It was dismissed in 2024 when a federal court ruled the lawmakers did not have standing to bring the case. That decision was upheld by a federal appellate court before the Supreme Court elected to let that decision stand by not taking up the case.
Ballot Proposal 2 of 2022 established a fundamental right to vote; use of an early voting site up to nine days before Election Day; counting of absentee ballots for military personal or people living overseas if completed and postmarked on or before Election Day; use of a photo ID or signed affidavit to verify voter identity, placement on a permanent voter list, prepaid ballot postage and state-funded ballot tracking notification system; and access to ballot drop boxes.
Ballot Proposal 3 of 2018 allowed for a secret ballot, timely distribution of absentee ballots to military personnel and people living overseas, straight-party voting, automatic registration, mail-in registration up to 15 days before an election, in-person registration with proof of residency, no-reason absentee voting and a statewide audit of election results.
“In recent years, voters in Michigan have overwhelmingly supported ballot initiatives to create a citizen-led independent redistricting process, to guarantee at least nine days of early voting for every statewide election, and to make voting more accessible for every eligible citizen,” Benson said. Monday’s action “ensures that the will of the voters will stand on these and other issues important to the people of our state.”
