July 5th, 2023

In partnership with both House and Senate members, SOS Benson has worked collaboratively with both chambers to ensure Proposal 2 implementation expands fair and equitable voting access in Michigan. That advocacy included support for a number of House and Senate bills that would make absentee voting more accessible to all Michigan voters, regardless of their zip code or financial status:

 

  • HB 4594: Absentee Ballot Tracker
  • HB 4697: State-funded Ballot Dropboxes
  • HB 4699: Permanent Mail Ballot List 
  • SB 370:   Prepaid Postage for Absentee Ballots and Applications
  • SB 372: State-funded Ballot Dropboxes

HB 4594 (Rep. Wegela) would require the Secretary of State to create and implement an absentee ballot application and absentee ballot voting tracker. This will ensure voters know their application and absentee ballot’s status with the Secretary of State. HB 4699 (Rep. Byrnes) would create a permanent absentee voter list that allows voters to automatically receive an absentee ballot each year without needing to apply annually. SB 370 (Sen. Santana) would cover the costs of postage for absentee ballots and applications, eliminating a logistical and financial burden for voters and making voting by mail more accessible and efficient. HB 4697 (Rep. Koleszar) and SB 372 (Sen. Camilleri) implements the state funded dropbox requirement of Proposal 2, requiring all cities and townships to have at least one dropbox and larger ones to have 1 dropbox per 15,000 registered voters. Dropboxes are a secure, efficient, and convenient way for voters to return absentee ballots and applications and this bill helps to establish equitable access to dropboxes for all Michigan voters.

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