LANSING, MI — Sen. Jim Runestad criticized a package of bills passed Tuesday by Senate Democrats that he said will put new burdens on taxpayers and local elections officials and seriously invade voter privacy at the polls.
“Voting locations have long been protected as places of privacy for citizens to carry out their most sacred civic duty without coercion, but not anymore. If the proponents of this legislation have their way, voters could now be subjected to the watching eyes of candidates and their campaign lackeys who just provided complimentary snacks to those who were waiting in line to cast their ballot,” said Runestad, R-White Lake. “This kind of sanctioned intimidation undermines the sanctity of our polling locations and the integrity of fair and free elections.”
The legislation includes Senate Bill 401, which would prescribe punitive actions, specifically targeting local clerks, for accusations against election practices and policies made by members of defined protected classes.
“This misleading bill package goes far beyond established federal voting rights laws and fails to protect good and hardworking local clerks against baseless accusations from bad actors who are not required to even produce evidence of wrongdoing under the bill,” Runestad said. “The sad result of this kind of strong-arm legislation will be a mass exodus of experienced local election professionals unwilling to put their livelihoods and personal integrity at risk.”
SB 402 would establish a Michigan Voting and Elections Database and Institute operated by one or more of the state’s public research institutions in contract with the secretary of state. SB 403 would mandate local governments to provide election materials in all languages shared by more than 5% of a community’s voting population, lowering that threshold to 2.5% beginning in 2030 (if there is a voting age population of at least 100 who speak a single shared language).
“In addition to the serious privacy concerns raised by the new database called for by these bills is a dangerous precedent and a breach of the public trust. The sheer costs of these arbitrary mandates will prove to be a burden to local clerks and ultimately the taxpayers,” Runestad said. “This is unsustainable.”
SB 404 would allow food, warmth and “other necessities” to be provided inside and outside of a polling place by any individual who wishes to share these resources. An amendment to strike the word “inside” from the bill and limit the distribution of food or beverages by candidates or campaigns was struck down by Senate Democrats.
SBs 401-404 were passed along party lines and have been sent to the state House of Representatives for further consideration.