Michigan House Bill HB4462

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/6/25
• Refer: 5/6/25

Caption

Elections: election officials; procedure to remove certain electors listed on the qualified voter file who have not recently voted; provide for.

Impact

This legislation will have significant implications for how electors maintain their registration status and, ultimately, their ability to vote. If a voter does not respond to the address verification notice and fails to vote in certain elections, their registration may be canceled. This aspect of the bill seems poised to streamline the registration process but could lead to inadvertent disenfranchisement, particularly for individuals who do not receive or respond to the notices in a timely fashion. Therefore, there are implications related to voter accessibility and participation, which will require attention moving forward.

Summary

House Bill 4462 seeks to amend Michigan's election laws, specifically targeting the procedures for managing registered elector information. The bill stipulates that election clerks may use data from the United States Postal Service to identify voters whose registered addresses may have changed. Upon receiving reliable information indicating such a change, clerks are required to notify the affected voters via mail, providing them with essential forms to verify or correct their address details. This measure is intended to enhance the accuracy of the qualified voter file, thereby supporting the integrity of Michigan's electoral process.

Contention

There are potential points of contention regarding the automated nature of the address verification process and the criteria that lead to the cancellation of an individual's voter registration. Opponents might argue that the reliance on external data sources like the USPS could generate false positives, disproportionately affecting marginalized groups who may move frequently or have less stable housing situations. Furthermore, provisions that require an elector to complete a change of address form at their polling place could introduce additional barriers, emphasizing the need for a careful balance between maintaining accurate voter records and ensuring election accessibility.