SCOTUS pulled into Michigan ballot fight over proof-of-citizenship amendment

Americans for Citizen Voting is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to force a proof-of-citizenship ballot amendment onto Michigan's midterm ballot after state election officials found the vast majority of its signatures invalid. Michigan requires 446,198 valid signatures; a sample review by the Board of State Canvassers found just 626 valid out of 1,000 sampled, and a separate state review found 612.

The group argues denial of ballot access is irreparable harm and wants the justices to intervene before September 3, without waiting for the Michigan Supreme Court to rule on its pending appeal — an unusual ask, since federal courts typically wait for state courts to finish first. It frames the situation as a costless gamble: put it on the ballot now, sort out the legality later.

The push comes as the Supreme Court separately allowed the Trump administration to proceed with a citizen-verification voter list and mail-ballot restriction on procedural grounds, without ruling on its constitutionality. Noncitizen voting remains extremely rare, and voter registration already requires a sworn citizenship declaration under penalty of perjury.

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