LANSING, Mich. — State Sen. Kevin Daley on Wednesday joined fellow Republican lawmakers in introducing several election reform measures as part of a comprehensive package to ensure transparency, integrity and confidence in Michigan’s election process.
“In America, we should be able to trust the results of an election — win or lose,” said Daley, R-Lum. “Unfortunately, after the 2020 election, I heard from countless people who feel their vote was overlooked. A concerning number of voters I have discussed the issue with have stated they have lost trust in our elections. Nothing is more important than the integrity of our elections.”
Over 30 bills were introduced as part of the election integrity package that cover a wide variety of issues dealing with processes before, during and after an election.
The bills include numerous reforms including improving security at ballot drop boxes, strengthening poll challenger and poll watcher rights, cleaning up outdated voter lists, and requiring photo identification for in-person voting and when submitting an AV ballot application. The reforms would also prohibit the mass mailing of absentee ballot applications and increase transparency in the audit process by ensuring audits are bipartisan and open to the public.
“Last year, I sponsored legislation that would have made election fraud a felony in Michigan, but the governor chose to veto this legislation just weeks before the election,” Daley said. “I am proud to have sponsored that legislation last year and I am proud to be a part of the comprehensive reform that was introduced today. It is our duty to restore faith in the election process and I believe these bills will spur a meaningful change in our state.”
The bills have been referred to the Senate Elections Committee for consideration.
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