KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Kalamazoo County board has given a preliminary OK to a resolution that would oppose efforts to make it more difficult to register to vote.
The “SAVE America Act” has cleared the U.S. House and is pending in the Senate. There are also petitions circulating to make it the law in Michigan. The new restrictions would require that anyone registering to vote have to present a passport or a birth certificate to prove citizenship.
Current Michigan law only requires a photo ID and a local address.
Mariah Bryant with Voters Not Politicians says it is anti-voter legislation.
“This policy would steal the right to vote from eligible legal U.S. citizens especially married women like myself, voters in rural communities, active service members and senior citizens.”
Ben Gardner with All Voting is Local says they are organizing to oppose the legislation.
“A non-partisan coalition of dozens of organizations that are speaking for the voters that would be impacted by the Save Act and the Michigan version of the Save Act,” says Gardner.
They argue that anyone who can’t readily obtain those documents could be prevented from registering.
The largest group impacted could be the tens of millions of American women who have married and no longer use their birth names.
The Kalamazoo County board approved the first reading of the proposed resolution, and it will be back for final consideration at their next meeting.
If approved, the resolution would be sent to state and federal lawmakers to let them know where commissioners stand on the proposal.
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