Online voter registration gets overwhelming support in the state Senate

LANSING – People would be able to register to vote online under a package of bills passed by the state Senate on Thursday by an overwhelming bipartisan majority.

Michigan residents who have driver's licenses or state identification cards would be able to take advantage of the online registration.

The bills, which passed on 35-1 votes in the Senate, were touted as a nod to the advances of technology and a convenience for Michiganders, by state Sen. Steve Bieda, D-Warren.

“This isn’t voting, it’s simply registering to vote,” he said. “Whenever we can make things easier for our citizens, it’s a good idea. I talk with citizens all the time who aren’t registered to vote, particularly parents who have kids at home, who are 18, 19 or 20 and haven’t registered. We’re talking about a generation that is very technologically savvy and we’ve got to speak their language when it comes to things like this.”

More stories:

Voter registration would get easier under bills being debated in legislature

19 candidates aiming to replace Rick Snyder as Michigan governor

But state Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton, the lone no vote on the bills, said he’s concerned about the integrity of elections.

“Your primary concern has to be voter integrity. In the last election, we had a lot of issues with the recount,” he said. “And where there are gaps, people can take advantage of loopholes.”

About 97% of Michigan’s 7.6 million people who are eligible to vote are registered. Most of them registered when they got their driver’s license.

Most of the nation’s states — and the District of Columbia — allow residents to apply to register to vote online. The system will be secure, Johnson said, because the Secretary of State will already have a potential voter’s information on file because of his or her driver’s license or state identification card.

The bills — SB 425-429 — now move to the House of Representatives for consideration. The House Elections and Ethics committee approved similar bills Thursday — HB 5548-5549 — and those bills also will move to the full House for consideration.

Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal