08/28/2026
Americans for Citizen Voting, Petition Signer Ask Michigan Supreme Court:
Protect Voters’ Voices, Count Their Signatures for Citizen Only Petition
LANSING, Mich. — Americans for Citizen Voting filed a writ of mandamus with the Michigan Supreme Court today asking for immediate relief to place the Citizen Only Voting Amendment on the November 3 ballot after the Michigan Board of State Canvassers deadlocked, 2-2, on certification, Monday.
“It’s not every day that Michigan’s bureaucracy violates state and federal law while
disenfranchising more than 700,000 Michigan voters,” the legal brief argues. “But that’s exactly what happened this week.”
The filing asks the Court to intervene following the Board repeatedly deadlocking 2-2 on the validity of dozens of signatures, even refusing to consider sworn, notarized affidavits from nine Michigan voters who signed the petition and had their signatures thrown out.
One of those invalidated signatures was from Fred Smith, who joined as a plaintiff in the lawsuit. His sworn affidavit was not considered because both Democrats on the Board voted against allowing it. Still, they acknowledged that he signed the petition and is a registered voter. The Bureau of Elections also confirmed that they would accept Smith’s signature as valid if one of the two Democrats would vote to allow them to do so.
“This case is about something bigger than our amendment. It is about whether Michigan citizens who follow the law and participate in the constitutional petition process are entitled to due process,” said Paul Jacob, chairman of Americans for Citizen Voting. “More than 700,000 Michiganders signed this petition. We have the signatures required to qualify, and we are asking the Michigan Supreme Court to ensure those voters are not silenced because the Board of State Canvassers failed to do its job.”
More than 700,000 Michiganders signed petitions supporting the Citizen Only Voting Amendment. The proposal would clarify that only U.S. citizens may vote in Michigan elections, require voters appearing to vote to present valid photo identification, require the Secretary of State to verify citizenship using available records, and require systematic reviews of Michigan’s voter rolls for accuracy.
Americans for Citizen Voting maintains that the petition contains sufficient valid signatures to qualify for the ballot and that valid signatures were improperly rejected during the review process.
Former Michigan Secretary of State and current state Sen. Ruth Johnson said the integrity of the petition process requires that valid signatures be counted and citizens who complied with the law receive fair consideration.
“The people of Michigan did exactly what their Constitution asks of them. They signed petitions, they followed the rules, and they earned the right to have their voices heard,” Johnson said. “When a registered voter can demonstrate that a signature is theirs, government should not be looking for a reason to throw that voter’s signature out. Due process matters. The law matters. And the Board of State Canvassers must be accountable to both.”
The Michigan Constitution gives citizens the power to propose constitutional amendments through the initiative petition process. Americans for Citizen Voting argues that administrative procedures cannot be permitted to disenfranchise valid petition signers or effectively nullify that constitutional right.
“This process is intentionally rigorous, and we accepted that challenge from the beginning,” Jacob said. “We gathered the signatures. We submitted the evidence. Voters themselves came forward to verify their signatures. At some point, the state has to be held accountable for recognizing valid voters and valid signatures. A partisan deadlock should not be allowed to override the constitutional rights of Michigan citizens.”
The campaign is asking the Michigan Supreme Court for immediate relief because of the rapidly approaching deadlines for preparing and printing ballots for the November 3 general election.
Johnson said the ultimate decision on the Citizen Only Voting Amendment should belong to Michigan voters.
“This is not about asking a court to decide whether the amendment should pass or fail,” Johnson said. “It is about ensuring the citizens who signed these petitions receive the due process they deserve and that Michigan voters have the opportunity they earned to make that decision for themselves in November.”
Americans for Citizen Voting said it will continue pursuing every available legal avenue to protect petition signers and secure the amendment’s placement on the November ballot.
“We will not walk away from more than 700,000 Michiganders who asked for the opportunity to vote on this amendment,” Jacob said. “Their voices matter. Their signatures matter. And we intend to fight for every lawful signature and every voter’s right to be heard.”
