Detroit City Wire

Race and voting laws are contentious subjects for Democrats and Republicans.

But, the political discord defies the reality that a majority of Black Michiganders said they support voter identification requirements, according to recent polls.

"Regardless of race, an overwhelming majority of Michiganders support strengthening our elections with voter ID requirements," Chris Arps, president of Americans for Citizen Voting, told Detroit City Wire. "Black Michiganders support it even more. Every vote must count; that transcends race, politics, and any other of our differences. We all want to trust [that] our vote counts."

A poll by Americans for Citizen Voting found that 79% of Black Michigan voters support strengthening elections by requiring voter ID, according to a press release. That number is higher than the percentage of Michiganders as a whole who support voter ID requirements (76%). 

"A majority of African Americans in Michigan support voter ID because they understand it is the surest way to validate a voter's identification," Arps said.

Only 14% of Michigan residents oppose strengthening voter ID requirements, according to a statewide survey conducted in January. A majority of Michiganders, 76%, support showing an ID in order to vote.               

Protect MI Vote is an initiative led by a group that is in opposition to the Republican-led ballot measure Secure MI Vote, according to Bridge Michigan. Protect MI Vote recently hired a Missouri-based consulting firm to contract with and "secretly buy out" circulators so they would not work for the conservative campaign.

"Protect MI Vote’s scheme to pay off circulators not to engage in the Secure MI Vote initiative petition is deplorable on its face and has no place in Michigan elections," Dustin Wefel, professional signature gatherer, said in a complaint that was first covered by The Detroit News, Bridge Michigan reported. Wefel's complaint was filed in early May.

Voters currently do not need to show a photo ID to register to vote, according to the Michigan Secretary of State's office. A utility bill qualifies as a form of ID.

Interested Michiganders can learn more about Secure MI Vote and sign up to receive a petition at the group's website.