State Rep. Jay DeBoyer is supporting a proposed constitutional amendment that works to uphold the integrity of Michigan’s elections.

The amendment, which will be introduced at the start of the 2025-26 legislative term by state Rep. Bryan Posthumus, would require proof of citizenship when registering to vote and photo identification when casting a ballot.

“Michigan residents expect and deserve a fair elections process with safeguards that ensure people who vote are actually eligible to vote,” said DeBoyer, of Clay Township. “Voter ID is a concept that a majority of people support. It’s one that will help protect one of our most sacred and important democratic institutions. We have ID requirements for a number of things in our society. When it comes to having them for our elections, it becomes a political issue. It’s past time to stop playing games and start protecting the integrity of our elections.”

In October, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s office announced charges against a 19-year-old University of Michigan student from China who was not a U.S. citizen when he allegedly registered and cast a ballot at a university art museum that served as an early polling location.

Incredibly, the ballot that was cast almost certainly was counted in the election due to current election laws. In a House Elections Committee hearing earlier this term, DeBoyer, who serves on the committee, highlighted the impractical nature of charging an individual for fraudulently voting after their vote was already counted and impacted an election when the committee heard testimony from clerks from Ann Arbor and East Lansing about the state’s elections process, fraud, and potential reforms.

“With the added layer of requiring proof of citizenship to register, this situation wouldn’t have happened,” DeBoyer said. “When people know that non-citizens are voting in our elections, trust in our elections process erodes and people lose faith in the accuracy of the results. There are local races that can be decided by just a couple of votes and every vote matters. The people of our state deserve a better process.”

DeBoyer, who served as clerk and register of deeds for St. Clair County before coming to the Legislature and has over a decade of experience overseeing elections, said the change will also give clerks and election workers more tools to deliver results that are accurate.

“That is their charge within their position,” DeBoyer said. “Weakened security measures create greater potential for fraud, make it harder for them to do their jobs and deliver accurate, timely results.”

A Pew Research survey conducted in January found that 81% of respondents favor requiring people to show government-issued photo identification to vote.

A constitutional amendment must receive a two-thirds majority vote in the House and Senate before going to voters in an election for potential adoption.