Elections: voters; state voting rights act; create. Creates new act & repeals 1969 PA 161 (MCL 691.1031). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0962’26, SB 0963’26, SB 0964’26
Key claim: SB0961 would create a new Michigan State Voting Rights Act, repealing the existing 1969 PA 161, tied to three companion bills in the 103rd Legislature.
Abstract
(SB0961 · 103rd Legislature) Elections: voters; state voting rights act; create. Creates new act & repeals 1969 PA 161 (MCL 691.1031). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0962’26, SB 0963’26, SB 0964’26 Latest action (2026-06-16): Referred To Committee On Election Integrity
Why this matters
A state-level Voting Rights Act would create a Michigan-specific legal framework for challenging voting practices, potentially independent of federal VRA enforcement. Repealing 1969 PA 161 and enacting a new act — advanced as a four-bill tie-barred package — would reshape how clerks administer elections and how voters can seek remedies, making the scope of the companion bills central to understanding what actually changes on the ground.