Board of State Canvassers deadlocks on citizens-only voting measure, setting up court fight

The Michigan Board of State Canvassers deadlocked 2-2 along party lines on a ballot measure that would impose strict voter ID and citizenship-verification requirements, meaning it will not appear on the November ballot without court intervention. Board staff had recommended against certification based on a sampling review, while supporters and opponents spent nearly seven hours litigating individual signatures.

The board ultimately identified 626 valid signatures against a required 629 threshold in its sample, a three-signature gap that both sides treated as decisive. Sponsors, led by Americans for Citizens Voting, have signaled they will sue, with the case expected to reach the Michigan Supreme Court and possibly beyond.

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