GOP-led proof of citizenship voting bill advances despite concerns from Democratic colleagues

A bill sponsored by a Howell Republican that would require voters to prove they are United States citizens when they register to vote was reported to the House floor on Tuesday after just one committee hearing, but with a bushel full of concerns from the panel’s Democrats.

House Bill 4765, sponsored by state Rep. Jason Woolford (R-Howell), was the subject of testimony on March 3 before the House Election Integrity Committee. The bill came back before the committee on Tuesday, and was advanced to the floor on a party line vote without further discussion.

Woolford’s bill hits upon a major Republican agenda item in 2026 and beyond — ensuring that only U.S. citizens vote in state and federal elections — despite that already being a legal requirement.

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It is also part of Michigan Republicans’ solution to what they contend is a major problem with the state’s election administration, although non-citizens voting in the state’s elections is an exceedingly rare event. It does happen, though, and such was the case with a Chinese student who voted illegally in the 2024 election and then tattled on himself, leading to criminal charges in Washtenaw County. The student has since fled the country.

Woolford’s bill does face an uphill battle with the Legislature’s Democrats.

The main concerns from Democrats at the March 3 hearing included the hurdles some people might face fulfilling the photo identification and proof-of-citizenry documentation requirements, especially for older residents. There were also concerns about the way the Legislature’s Republicans were messaging the bill, as there was some confusion over whether a REAL ID would be able to fulfill the identification requirement, or if Enhanced REAL ID options, which carry a digital record of citizenship, were more appropriate.

Regardless of the Democrats’ concerns, the bill is likely to move through the House quickly, although the Democratic-led state Senate will surely kill the legislation when it lands in the upper chamber.