State Rep. Mike Hoadley will host an elections town hall on Thursday, Oct. 26, welcoming fellow legislators with experience overseeing the state’s elections process and discussing changes to Michigan election laws. 

The event will take place at the Deep River Township Hall, located at 525 E. State Street in Sterling, from 7-9 p.m.

Joining Rep. Hoadley as special guests will be state Reps. Ann Bollin, of Brighton, and Jay DeBoyer, of Clay Township. Prior to serving in the Michigan House, Bollin was the Brighton Township Clerk from 2003-18 and was its longest serving clerk. DeBoyer spent 12 years as the St. Clair County clerk and serves on the House Elections Committee.

“There have been lots of changes to Michigan’s election laws over the past nine months,” said Hoadley, of Au Gres. “This meeting will examine those changes and how they impact our state, while helping people stay informed. Voters expect and deserve an elections process that is transparent. Without that, we open ourselves up to the potential for fraud and waning trust from the public regarding our institutions. This is a major issue I hear about across northern Michigan, and I welcome anyone who is interested to attend.”

Legislative majorities have prioritized several changes to how the state conducts its elections – adding more questions to ones that already existed regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of Michigan’s elections system.

These priorities culminated in several signed laws that go beyond what was contained within Proposal 2, which was approved during the November 2022 election, including watering down signature verification requirements, creating unequal voting access through early voting day disparities and authorizing state and local officials to send unsolicited absentee ballot applications to voters of their choice, allowing people to register to vote and cast a ballot even after the polls close on election day, and more.

“Just recently, the House voted on bills that will allow paid rides to polling stations and absentee ballots to be requested online,” Hoadley said. “There has been a major effort to change our elections system, and people should be informed on what those changes mean and how they could impact our elections process going forward.”

Hoadley serves the 99^th House District, which encompasses Arenac, Iosco and Ogemaw counties, as well as portions of Bay, Clare and Gladwin counties.