Battle Creek Times

Michigan Sen. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) is sponsoring legislation to strengthen the integrity of elections in Michigan.

Barrett was elected to represent Michigan’s 24th district in 2018 and is spearheading the proposal, which would ensure secure elections.

“Basic election integrity requires the use of photo identification to ensure honest voting. This is a simple, straightforward requirement that will go a long way toward securing elections,” Barrett said to Battle Creek Times.

The senator's legislation is part of a wide-ranging, 39-bill package that Senate Republicans hope will bring election reliability to Michigan, according to his website.

Remington Research Group released a survey that concluded the majority of state voters desired enhanced election security measures. Americans for Citizen Voting conducted the poll and found that over 75% of voters back "requiring voters to show a government-issued photo ID in order to vote."

Voters currently need only a utility bill or bank statement to vote and not a photo ID, according to the Michigan secretary of state's website.

Secure MI Vote is an organization that hopes to attract backing for new election laws that will make Michigan's voting laws more secure. The group is promoting laws that would require photo IDs when voting and an ID or social security number for an absentee ballot, along with creating rules regarding gathering absentee ballots and drop-off boxes, forbidding the unwelcome delivery of absentee ballot applications, and barring private contributions to fund election set-up.

The Michigan state legislature passed laws that enhance ID rules for in-person and absentee voting last year, but Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed the legislation, according to The Detroit News.  

"To be clear, there is no evidence that use of affidavit ballots is related to voter fraud," Whitmer said in a letter. "In fact, the Michigan Senate Oversight Committee recently concluded that the 2020 election produced no significant evidence of fraud."

The Detroit Regional Chamber conducted a survey last June and found that 80% of respondents backed requiring an ID to vote, and 51% supported laws that would necessitate an ID for absentee voting, according to Bridge Michigan.