Dearborn — A package of four bills moving through the Michigan Senate would require cities like Dearborn to provide more translated voting materials, hire bilingual poll workers, and create a state fund to pay for language assistance at the polls. The legislation is a direct response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down key parts of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965.
The bills, known as the Michigan Voting Rights Act, passed out of the Senate Elections and Ethics Committee on May 20 and advanced to the full Senate floor. They face an uncertain path in the Republican-controlled House, where similar companion bills were referred to the Government Operations Committee.
What the bills would do
The legislative package includes Senate Bills 961, 962, 963, and 964. According to the Michigan Independent, each bill addresses a different aspect of voter protection:
- SB 961 would prohibit local governments from enacting laws that lead to a disparity in electoral participation among protected classes of voters
- SB 962 would require the Secretary of State to work with a Michigan university to develop the Michigan Voting and Elections Database and Institute, a nonpartisan center for research and training on election administration
- SB 963 would require local governments to provide additional foreign language assistance for elections and create a state fund to pay for it
- SB 964 would require local governments to notify the Secretary of State about changes to election management and outline a process for assisting voters with disabilities
The bills are tie-barred, meaning the Senate and House versions must pass together to become law, according to the Michigan Independent.
Why Dearborn matters
Dearborn is home to one of Michigan's largest populations of English Language Learners. State Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) highlighted the importance of language access during a May 19 press conference in Lansing introducing the bills.
"Every eligible voter should be free to cast their ballot accurately and without fear of being turned away at the polls," Chang said. "In the aftermath of the destruction of the federal Voting Rights Act, we must strengthen protections here in Michigan for English Language Learners — people who chose to make Michigan their home and have become citizens."
Chang noted that 38.9% of Michiganders are English Language Learners, according to her remarks as reported by Michigan Senate Democrats. She said providing resources such as bilingual poll workers and translated ballots are "much-needed steps toward a more representative, participatory democracy."
The Supreme Court ruling
The push for a state-level Voting Rights Act follows the U.S. Supreme Court's April ruling in Louisiana v. Callais. The six-justice conservative majority struck down key provisions of Section 2 of the federal Voting Rights Act, which had been the primary legal tool used to challenge discriminatory voting policies, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
State Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton), the lead sponsor of the package, called the ruling a "death blow" to Section 2 during the press conference, according to the Michigan Advance.
"We tried very hard, got very close. We passed it out of the House Elections Committee before, and our goal this year is to obviously do it again, pass it again, and get this bill signed into law," Camilleri said.
Who supports the bills
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson joined lawmakers at the press conference and endorsed the legislation.
"As secretary of state and Michigan's chief election officer, I will stand up to anyone who tries to silence your voice or block your vote. But protecting democracy takes all of us. We cannot stand by in this moment," Benson said.
Benson is also a candidate for governor in the 2026 election. The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, the Detroit branch of the NAACP, and Promote the Vote have issued support for the legislation, according to the Michigan Independent.
State Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Bloomfield), chair of the Senate Elections Committee, said the bills are necessary given the national political climate.
"As the Trump administration, Congress, and even the U.S. Supreme Court are silencing voters across our nation, we as state lawmakers must work even harder to assure ballot access in Michigan," Moss said in a statement reported by the Michigan Independent.
Opposition and concerns
Republican lawmakers in the Michigan House have not signaled support for the bills. The House companion measures were introduced on May 13 and referred to the Government Operations Committee, where bills frequently stall without a hearing, according to the Michigan Independent.
A message seeking comment from the office of House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) was not returned at the time of publication, according to the Michigan Advance.
Some local officials raised concerns about implementation. Chris Swope, Lansing City Clerk and a representative of the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks, testified at the May 20 committee hearing that the organization had worked with lawmakers on previous versions of the bill but had concerns about specific language.
"As clerks, our whole job is to ensure the voting rights of individuals here in Michigan, so we take this very seriously," Swope said, according to the Michigan Independent.
Swope specifically asked lawmakers to clarify provisions related to funding for language assistance and requests to view voting equipment.
What happens next
The Senate bills were sent to the full Senate floor following the committee vote on May 20. If the Senate passes the tie-barred package, the legislation would move to the Republican-controlled House. House Republicans have been skeptical of the bills, and passage remains uncertain.
The bills were originally introduced during the 2023-24 legislative session but failed to gain passage as the Democratic trifecta's agenda was cut short during a lame duck session, according to the Michigan Advance. Lawmakers reintroduced them this year as a direct response to the Supreme Court's Callais decision.