Editorial: Citizenship query unwise
Date: 08/11/2012
Source: The Detroit News
An unnecessary amount of confusion was caused in this week's primary election because Secretary of State Ruth Johnson opted to add a question about citizenship to the ballot application voters fill out at the polls. Legislation making this question a requirement was vetoed by Gov. Rick Snyder last month, but Johnson, who initiated the policy for last February's GOP presidential primary, opted to retain the question for Tuesday's election. At least some voters who refused to answer the question were denied ballots, despite a midday memo to local clerks from state Elections Director Chris Thomas that those who refused to answer should be read a statement that voting while a non-citizen is illegal and handed a ballot anyway. Proof of citizenship is required for voter registration, which makes the question unnecessary at the polling place. It would have been wiser of Johnson to leave the question off the ballot application.
(c) 2012, The Detroit News