Republican lawmakers in a number of politically significant states have passed a wave of new voting requirements and limits this year, saying the measures are needed to curb voter fraud, despite scant evidence of it in the United States.
Backers of the measures cite Republican former President Donald Trump’s baseless claim that fraud underlay his decisive presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden in November. Democrats and voting rights advocates have sued state officials over the laws, denouncing the efforts as partisan power grabs that will disproportionately disenfranchise voters of color.
MICHIGAN
The Republican-controlled Michigan state Senate passed three bills on Wednesday expanding voter identification requirements in the state. The measures will next be considered by the Michigan House of Representatives, where Republicans also have a majority. Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, is unlikely to sign them into law.
The legislation would require in-person voters lacking photo ID to cast a provisional ballot and verify their identities within six days, rather than signing an affidavit attesting to their identities and voting normally, as current law allows. It would also add identification requirements to absentee voting.
