Michigan Governor Vetoes Pair of Voter Suppression Bills

LANSING, Mich. — Today, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed amended versions of SB 303 and SB 304, legislation that would have made it more difficult for voters to cast a ballot on Election Day and to have their vote be counted. The bills were passed on a strictly partisan basis.  

SB 303 would have eliminated Michigan’s current voter ID laws and required voters without an ID to fill out a provisional ballot. SB 304 would have added an additional burden on the voter to provide more documentation than is currently required by law for their provisional ballot to be counted.  

Statement from Quentin Turner, Program Director of Common Cause Michigan

On behalf of Common Cause Michigan, I want to thank Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her leadership on voting rights. With her veto, she has helped protect the freedom to vote in Michigan.  

Our freedom to vote has been under constant attack since the 2020 presidential election when more than five million voters braved a pandemic to cast a ballot.  

As of October, 19 states have enacted 33 new laws that suppress the right to vote. Thanks to a broad and growing coalition of pro-democracy advocates, Michigan is safe from these anti-democratic voter suppression tactics — for now.  

Despite today’s victory, there has been collateral damage in the process. The false and baseless accusations about our election process have fueled a newfound sense of distrust of our government and a loss of faith in our democracy.  

Anti-voter efforts like this will do nothing but distract and divide us from addressing the real challenges our communities face. 

We will continue to fight for every Michigander’s freedom to vote — regardless of zip code, political party, race, or ethnicity.  

We are grateful that with Governor Whitmer’s veto of these two anti-voter bills, we can proudly say to America that in Michigan, we support every eligible voter’s freedom to vote.  

We welcome the opportunity to work with any member of the state legislature interested in advancing legislation that makes it easier for Michiganders to make our voices heard at the ballot box. 

While voters breathe a sigh of relief today, the larger war on democracy being waged here in Michigan and around the country is far from over. The solution is simple: pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.  

We are counting on Congress not to miss this historic opportunity to protect our democracy.