LANSING, MICH, June 27, 2023 — The Michigan House of Representatives passed a package of bills, House Bills 4695–4702, to implement Proposal 22-2. These bills would implement the ballot initiative aimed at expanding voting access, which Michiganders overwhelmingly supported in November 2022. Upon the passage of the package, HB 4699 sponsor, State Rep. Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn) released the following statement:
“I’m proud to stand with the people of Michigan by introducing legislation that expands voter rights for Michiganders. The people of Michigan spoke loud and clear last November when they overwhelmingly supported Proposal 2. My bill, which streamlines the permanent absentee voter process, and the other bills that we passed will help ensure that the Great Lakes state continues to be a leading light in the democratic process.”
Other bills in the package include:
- HBs 4695–96: Implements nine days of early voting and allows for municipal and county agreements on early voting sites. (State Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou)
- HB 4697: Requires one ballot dropbox for every 15,000 voters within a municipality. (State Rep. Matt Koleszar)
- HB 4698: Expands the types of photo IDs allowed for elections. (State Rep. Kara Hope)
- HB 4699: Creates a permanent mail voter list. (State Rep. Erin Byrnes)
- HBs 4700–01: Revises the absent voter application and requires AV ballot applications to have prepaid postage. (State Reps. Carrie A. Rheingans and Jason Morgan)
- HB 4702: Changes the number of active registered electors in a city, ward, township or village (precinct) from 2,999 to 5,000. (State Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou)
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