Snyder Signs Law Restricting Information About Ballot Issues

Governor Snyder has signed legislation that ends straight-ticket voting in partisan elections statewide.

“Michigan joins 40 other states that require voters to select an individual for each elective office, rather than simply selecting a political party”, Snyder wrote in a letter explaining why he signed the bill. Voters twice before have preserved the straight-ticket option in referendums, in 2001 and 1964. The Michigan Municipal League says the measure would gag local officials from informing voters about issues that appear on a ballot like a millage, charter changes or land transfers.

Johnson says she would have liked it if Snyder could have signed the bills together, but she stopped short of criticizing his decision.

Snyder said to alleviate concerns about long lines, the Legislature should make it easier for people to vote using absentee ballots.

Opponents of the measure say that it will increase voter confusion and lead to longer wait times for voters.

“I expect just as high of a turnout in this presidential election”, Devitt said about the coming November vote. But in Wayne County, 224,806 people voted a straight Democratic ticket while 71,846 people voted a straight Republican ticket. “I think it will cause long, extensive lines, and what took maybe nine or 10 minutes before will now take up to half an hour”.

“My concern is that the clerks believe that it’ll make the lines longer, so to me it’s imperative that the Senate has a vote on secure absentee voting”. A separate bill is in the Michigan Legislature that would allow for no-reason absentee voting, so those that are concerned over the wait can have more time to look over the ballot.

The Michigan Public Radio Network’s Rick Pluta reports on Governor Snyder attempting to clarify a new election law. The appropriation that was added to it allocates $5 million to the Secretary of State for voting equipment that might be needed to implement the law. Currently, absentee voters who satisfy one of the six requirements can request to be placed on a permanent list so they automatically are mailed an application.