Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Both Michigan State Rep. Ann Bollin (R-Brighton Township) and Rep. Jason Woolford (R-Howell) will serve on a new House select committee examining what happened to the Americans for Citizen Voting petition after the campaign submitted 709,841 signatures but the proposal did not advance to the November ballot.

The Michigan House created the select committee after the Board of State Canvassers deadlocked on whether the petition had enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. The proposed constitutional amendment would require people voting in Michigan elections to prove they are U.S. citizens.

“When more than 700,000 Michiganders put their names on a petition, we have a responsibility to make sure the process is fair, transparent, and accountable,” Woolford said. “People deserve to know what happened here, and I’m looking forward to digging into the facts and getting them some answers.”

The Board of State Canvassers spent nearly seven hours Monday, Aug. 24, reviewing the petition before deadlocking on whether the campaign met the required threshold of 446,198 valid signatures.

The dispute centered on a sample of 1,000 petition signatures reviewed by election officials. According to the Bureau of Elections, Americans for Citizen Voting fell just short of the number of valid signatures needed within that sample to qualify for certification.

“This isn’t about Republicans or Democrats. It’s about whether Michiganders can trust the process,” Woolford said. “There are 709,841 signatures behind this petition. We need to understand how those signatures were reviewed, why the proposal was kept off the ballot, and whether the process got it right.”

Before joining the Michigan House, Bollin served 16 years as Brighton Township clerk, overseeing local elections and municipal operations. She also previously chaired the House Elections and Ethics Committee.

“My background as a clerk taught me that public trust is the foundation of every election,” Bollin said. “Michigan residents expect a process that is transparent, consistent, and worthy of their confidence. That’s exactly what this committee will be looking into.”

The select committee is expected to begin its work in the coming weeks.