Thank you for contacting the Office of Speaker Jason Wentworth in regards to the integrity of our election.

The House has recently passed several bills related to election integrity:

1. House Bill 4127– Currently, section 510 of the Election Law requires the county clerk to forward a list of adults who have died in the county to city and township clerks, who would then cancel the registration of deceased electors. The bill would also require the SOS, within 90 days of the bill’s effective date, to send both of the following to each registered elector who has been assigned a placeholder date of birth on the QVF because the actual date of birth is unknown: • A postage prepaid return card pre-addressed to the elector’s city or township clerk on which the elector may verify his or her birth date. He or she would have to sign the card and attach a copy of his or her original birth certificate or current driver’s license or state personal ID card as proof of date of birth. • A notice that the elector must complete, sign, and return the enclosed card, including the date of birth and proof of date of birth, at least 15 days before the next election; that he or she may otherwise be required to affirm the date of birth in writing before being allowed to vote; and that failure to do so will result in the cancellation of his or her registration following the second general November election after the notice. An elector returning the completed and signed card in person would also have to provide proof of date of birth. Until an elector returned the completed and signed return card, and the signature was verified by the city or township clerk using the QVF, the elector’s registration would be identified as challenged. The clerk would have to notify the elector of the challenged status and the steps necessary to resolve the issue. Likewise, if the mailings were returned as undeliverable, the bill would require the SOS to identify that elector’s registration record as challenged. Then, if the elector did not vote or engage in voter-initiated activity or verify the birth date within two general November elections, the SOS would have to cancel the elector’s registration and notify the applicable city or township clerk of the cancellation.
2. House Bill 4128 – Currently, the Election Law provides that an elector’s voter registration may not be canceled based solely on a failure to vote. The bill would instead require the SOS to cancel the elector’s registration if he or she did not reply to the notice described below or engage in voter-initiated activity by the second general November election after the notice. The notice would state that the SOS’s records indicate that the voter has not voted since the 2000 general November election and that the voter must fill out, sign, and return the enclosed card to the applicable city or township clerk if he or she wishes to remain registered to vote at that address. Further, it would indicate that the voter would have to do so at least 15 days before the next election; that he or she may otherwise be required to affirm his or her current address House Fiscal Agency HBs 4127 to 4131 as reported from committee Page 3 of 6 before being allowed to vote; and that failure to do so will result in his or her registration being canceled following the second general November election after the notice Then, as under HB 4127, if the notice was returned as undeliverable or if the signature did not match the QVF, the bill would require the SOS or clerk, respectively, to identify that elector’s registration record as challenged. The clerk would also have to notify the elector of a challenged status based on a non-matching signature and inform the elector of the steps needed to resolve it. Then, if the elector did not vote or engage in voter-initiated activity within two general November elections, the SOS would have to cancel the elector’s registration and notify the applicable city or township clerk of the cancellation. MCL 168.509bb House Bill 4129 The bill would amend the Election Law to require the SOS
3. House Bill 4129– The bill would amend the Election Law to require the SOS to post on the SOS website, by July 1 of odd-numbered years, the name of each county, city, and township clerk who is not current with his or her continuing election education training required under the code, and to remove that name upon receiving evidence that the clerk has become current. The SOS would have to notify delinquent clerks by June 1 of odd-numbered years, and remove from the list those who remedy the delinquency before July 1.

Additionally, the Michigan Senate has presented a large Election Reform Package. If you follow the below link, it will take to you to the Senate Elections Committee Page which shows all legislation that they have introduced thus far.

 Michigan Legislature – Committee Bill Record Search

As far as any petitions related to citizen initiated legislation, that is not a process the legislature would be a part of unless and until outside groups and private citizens were successful in collecting the required number of signatures, the petitions were validated by the Secretary of State’s office, and the legislation was taken up by the House. Should this occur, please know that Speaker Wentworth will keep your thoughts at the forefront of his mind.

Thank you again for your email. If our office can be of further assistance to you, please reach out anytime at (517)-373-8962 or JasonWentworth@house.mi.gov.