LANSING, Mich., Aug. 27, 2026 — This week, the Michigan House of Representatives voted to create the new Select Committee on the Rules and Procedures on the Bureau of Elections and State Canvassers. The committee would have the power to issue subpoenas and call people to testify under oath.
The two Democratic representatives named to the committee are state Rep. Denise Mentzer (D-Mt. Clemens), who was designated as minority vice chair, and state Rep. Mai Xiong (D-Warren). They issued the following response:
“I am honored to be named minority vice chair of this committee, and I appreciate the Speaker’s confidence in myself and Rep. Xiong as we undertake this important responsibility. I have a long track record of working across the aisle, and I intend to approach this committee in the same spirit,” Mentzer said. “My goal is for this committee to provide the public with a clear and accurate understanding of the signature verification process. The discussion is not simply about the total number of signatures submitted, but also about their validity. What I question is why they’re only raising these concerns now, weeks before the election. With that said, I look forward to hearing directly from election officials and other experts about the signature verification process, how recent decisions align with Michigan law, how similar petitions have been handled in the past and how those standards have been applied.”
“As a member of the Election Integrity Committee, I have worked to ensure that our elections are safe, secure, accessible and conducted according to the law. I believe protecting the integrity of our elections also means protecting the independence of the people and institutions entrusted with carrying them out,” Xiong said. “The Board of State Canvassers is an independent and bipartisan body and they should be allowed to do their job without political interference, intimidation, or undue influence from any one party or any one leader. Just as I have done on every committee I’ve served on, I will continue to speak up, ask the tough questions and use my voice to stand up for justice, the law and the integrity of our democratic process.”
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