LANSING – In an effort to make it easier for citizens to register to vote and empower first-time voters, State Representative Robert Dean (D-Grand Rapids) today threw his support behind 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 should be breaking down barriers to voting, not building them up," Dean said. "No citizen should be denied the opportunity to go to the polls and get involved in the political process. This plan will encourage young people to vote, and that can only be a good thing for the health and future of our state."
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.
"It can be a pain in the neck for students to register to vote in the city where they are attending college – especially because many of them don't have cars," Dean said. "Under this plan, a student from Grand Rapids who goes to school in the Upper Peninsula can register in the U.P., rather than driving all the way back down to Grand Rapids. This is the right thing to do for our students and our state."