Michigan voter group turns in 750K signatures for “citizens-only” voting amendment

A Michigan advocacy group says it has submitted enough petition signatures to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would require additional verification of voter citizenship and mandate photo identification for voting.

On Wednesday afternoon, Americans for Citizen Voting submitted roughly 750,000 petition signatures — more than 300,000 above the 446,198 valid signatures required, or 10% of the votes cast for governor in the previous election cycle — to place the measure before voters in November 2026.

If approved by voters, the amendment would add language to the Michigan Constitution stating that only U.S. citizens may vote in state and local elections, require voters to present photo identification before casting a ballot, and direct state officials to conduct additional verification of voter rolls to remove non-citizens.

Supporters say the proposal would strengthen public confidence in elections. Critics have argued similar measures could create additional barriers for some eligible voters.

Americans for Citizen Voting is led by Republican policy advocates Paul Jacob and Kurt O’Keefe, alongside legislative allies including state Sen. Ruth Johnson (R-Holly) and state Rep. Ann Bollin (R-Brighton Township). The group held a news conference Wednesday before delivering the petitions to the Michigan Bureau of Elections within the Department of State.

“Only U.S. citizens should vote in our elections,” Jacob said during Wednesday’s news conference. “Michigan’s citizens-only voting amendment makes certain that that will be the case. We have checked these signatures, we have more than 300K signatures beyond the legal requirement. We are going to be taking these signatures this afternoon to the secretary of state, to the board of elections, and turning them in.”

Jacob said the proposal is intended to strengthen confidence in elections.

“We are here today to celebrate citizenship, and to protect it and thereby to protect the integrity of our elections,” Jacob said. “Citizenship unites us, in all of our different backgrounds. But when noncitizens vote and are allowed to vote, it divides us, it cheapens citizenship and creates distrust in our elections.”

In Michigan, and in every state, only U.S. citizens are eligible to register to vote or cast a ballot in state or federal elections. Federal law requires voters to affirm under penalty of perjury that they meet eligibility requirements, including U.S. citizenship, when registering to vote.

Research on noncitizen voting has generally found the practice to be rare. A study by the Brennan Center for Justice analyzing 23.5 million votes across 42 jurisdictions in the 2016 general election identified about 30 suspected cases of noncitizens casting ballots, or roughly 0.0001% of votes in those jurisdictions.

The issue gained renewed attention in Michigan after a Chinese national who was a student at the University of Michigan was charged with illegally voting in the 2024 election. Federal prosecutors later said the individual fled the United States.

“I don’t care if there’s five illegals voting or 50,000,” said Americans for Citizen Voting Michigan Treasurer Kurt O’Keefe. “The point is too much of the public has lost confidence in the integrity of our elections.”

State Rep. Rachelle Smit (R-Martin) also addressed questions about how the proposal could affect voters already registered in Michigan.

“I’ve also been asked if people will need to reregister to vote. They will not. The secretary of state will be responsible for checking the records of currently registered voters, and if you already have a driver’s license or state ID the secretary of state should already have your documents on file,” Smit said.

“This proposal will also guarantee in the constitution that those individuals [who cannot afford an ID] can receive a state ID to vote free of charge.”

Rep. Ann Bollin, chair of the Michigan House Appropriations Committee, said she believes the amendment is necessary to restore confidence in elections.

“The concern should not be how do we do this,” Bollin said. “The concern should be what happens if we don’t?”

Federal parallels

The Michigan ballot initiative comes as similar legislation is being debated at the federal level.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives on February 11, 2026 with Republican support and is currently awaiting consideration in the U.S. Senate, where its prospects remain uncertain.

Supporters say the bill is intended to prevent noncitizens from voting in federal elections. Critics argue the legislation addresses a problem that is extremely rare and could create new barriers for eligible voters.

Maxwell Knauer is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.