LANSING – In an effort to make it easier for citizens to register to vote and empower first-time voters, State Representative Marc Corriveau (D-Northville) today approved a bipartisan plan that will allow citizens to register to vote and apply for an absentee ballot at any clerk's office in the state.
"We must make sure that all voters have the opportunity to have their voices heard, and this plan will make that happen," said Corriveau, chair of the House Ethics and Elections Committee. "Voting is a right that no citizen should be denied. The more people we can get involved in the political process, the more our state stands to benefit."
The plan that passed the House today will allow Michigan citizens to register to vote at any clerk's office in the state, regardless of where they vote on Election Day and what address is on their driver's license. It increases access to voting for citizens such as college students who live at school but often are registered to vote where their families live.
The plan also makes it easier for first-time voters to get an absentee ballot. Currently, a first-time voter must request an absentee ballot by proving their identity in person at their clerk's office. The plan passed today allows voters to prove their identity at any clerk's office in the state to obtain an absentee ballot from their home district.
"Too many college students miss out on the chance to vote because of all the hoops they have to jump through to get registered or to get an absentee ballot," Corriveau said. "Under this plan, a student from Northville who goes to school in Marquette won't have to drive all the way back home to register – he or she can just register in Marquette. This plan also makes it easier for college students to get an absentee ballot from home and make sure their voices are heard. I'm pleased that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle came together on this important issue."