Lansing, Michigan — A proposed constitutional amendment requiring proof of U.S. citizenship and photo identification for voting will not appear on Michigan’s November ballot after both the state and U.S. Supreme Courts rejected emergency appeals from its supporters.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh denied an emergency injunction Thursday without explanation. The request came from Americans for Citizen Voting-Michigan, which sought to force the measure onto the ballot after the Michigan Board of State Canvassers deadlocked over whether the campaign had enough valid petition signatures.
Supporters submitted more than 700,000 signatures, but state officials relied on a sample review to determine validity. The Bureau of Elections found too few valid signatures in that sample, while the Board of State Canvassers later reached a similar conclusion, leaving the proposal short of certification.
The measure would have amended the state constitution to explicitly limit voting to U.S. citizens, require regular voter-roll reviews and impose photo identification requirements.
Supporters argued that rejected signatures should have been restored through affidavits and said nearly 710,000 residents deserved a chance to vote on the proposal. State officials countered that the campaign failed to satisfy Michigan’s signature-validation requirements.
The Michigan Supreme Court also declined relief Thursday, effectively ending the measure’s chances before Friday’s ballot-finalization deadline. Absentee ballots are scheduled to begin going out later this month.
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