Americans for Citizen Voting filed a request at the Michigan Supreme Court on Thursday, Aug. 27, asking justices to overturn the Board of State Canvassers' rejection of its voter ID constitutional amendment and order the measure onto the November ballot.

The filing follows a 2-2 deadlock at the Board of State Canvassers on Monday, Aug. 24, that left the petition three valid signatures short of the threshold needed for certification. The group argues the board improperly rejected nine notarized affidavits from voters who said they signed the petition, according to WILX.

The proposed amendment would require voter identification and proof of U.S. citizenship at the polls. It would eliminate the option for voters who lack photo ID to sign an affidavit of identity, replacing it with a state-funded program to help people obtain necessary documents at no cost.

Three signatures short

Americans for Citizen Voting submitted 709,841 signatures in March 2026. Amending the Michigan Constitution requires 446,198 valid signatures. Under the state's sampling procedure, at least 629 of 1,000 randomly pulled signatures had to check out. When time ran out ahead of the board's 5 p.m. deadline on Aug. 24, canvassers had verified 626, WLNS reported.

The four-member board split along party lines. Republican Chair Richard Houskamp and Republican member Paul Cordes voted to certify. Democratic Vice Chair Mary Ellen Gurewitz and Democratic member Heather Cummings voted against.

Much of the Aug. 24 debate centered on affidavits submitted after the board's normal deadline for challenges. Opponents of the measure argued those late-filed affidavits should not count. The group now contends the board's decision violated state law and the U.S. Constitution.

What the court must decide

The justices face a tight calendar. Ballots for military and overseas voters must go out by Saturday, Sept. 19, and absentee ballots must be available no later than Thursday, Sept. 24. Under state law, organizers had seven business days to appeal a canvassers' decision, and that appeal goes directly to the Supreme Court.

As of Friday, Aug. 28, no court response to the filing appears in published reports.

Paul Jacob, chairman of Americans for Citizen Voting, said after the Aug. 24 deadlock that he would fight the decision. "We're not giving up. You can't cheat the people of Michigan and get away with it," Jacob said as he walked out of the Senate office building in downtown Lansing, according to the Detroit News.

The group reported spending $9.1 million on its campaign as of a July 20 campaign finance disclosure.

The court's ruling will determine whether Michigan voters see the citizenship requirement on their November ballots.