The Real Threat to Election Confidence? Ignoring the Process

Guest Opinion

By Justin Mendoza | July 4, 2026

Recently, Antrim County Clerk Victoria Bishop, a Republican, abused her power by improperly canceling voter registrations, including for voters who decided not to vote for a handful of years. This is a power that only municipal clerks have. She then failed to respond to the Michigan Bureau of Elections’s (BOE) requests for information, and the BOE responded by suspending her access to the voter file.

Bishop’s access will remain suspended until she completes a series of training, promises to comply with Michigan’s election laws, and provides the BOE with detailed information about the voter registrations that she canceled.

This moment is not simply about one official—it touches on the importance of our established election processes and voter confidence in them. Bishop’s decision left Antrim County voters confused and clerks frustrated because it was outside of established protocol, influenced by her belief in election fraud conspiracies.

While voter rolls and election regulation must be maintained, that process should be governed transparently, legally, and in coordination with trained professionals. Election systems work when rules are followed consistently and voters are protected from arbitrary changes to the systems.

Right now, Michiganders’ voting rights are under threat at the federal level with President Trump’s executive order on mail-in voting, which will limit voter participation and violate the Michigan Constitution. The proposed changes are simply a solution in search of a small problem, but it disregards real-world impact on voters.

In northern Michigan, where rural distance, aging populations, and limited transportation are realities, mail-in voting is essential infrastructure, not simple convenience. These proposed changes will make voting harder for over 100,000 voters in rural communities.

In addition to the proposed changes via the administration’s executive order, another threat we’re seeing are attempts to require papers to prove one’s citizenship to register or remain registered to vote. It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote, and Michigan already has voter ID laws in place to certify the accuracy of voter registration.

This proposal would add an additional burden, requiring individuals to provide documents such as a birth certificate or passport to register or update their voter registration. A government-issued driver’s license or state ID would no longer be an accepted form of identification.

Election experts and civil rights advocates warn this would increase barriers for eligible voters similar to the proposed changes via the executive order. Requiring additional proof, such as a birth certificate or passport would disproportionately impact rural residents, low-income residents, individuals that have experienced name changes, younger voters, and people who have limited access to vital records, to name a few.

Addressing hypothetical risk is not worth disregarding the actual access barriers of eligible citizens. Michigan’s election system is widely regarded as one of the most secure and transparent in the nation. Our ballots are cast on paper, creating a physical audit trail. Local clerks administer elections under clear guidelines that are supported by trained bipartisan election workers at each stage of the election process. Results are verified through canvassing boards that compare outcomes to our physical ballots, and we have absentee ballot tracking.

Our systems are built on repetition; each exists to catch any errors that may occur throughout the process. Additionally, Michigan residents have strong legal protections designed to ensure access and fairness within the voting process.

Ensuring the right to vote is protected for people regardless of actions by the federal government is critical to our system. The Michigan Senate just passed the Michigan Voting Rights Act, which will now go to the House for a vote. The bill would protect voters regardless of background from discrimination at the polls and enshrine a right to vote with funding and oversight at the state level. This makes Michigan the first legislative chamber in the country to pass a state voting rights act since the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority gutted the federal Voting Rights Act.

The 2026 Antrim County controversy gives us many important lessons: elections depend on clear established tested systems, trust in election officials is vital, and informed voters are necessary.

Michigan’s election infrastructure demonstrates that election security and accessibility can coexist. Investing in our existing election administration processes, ensuring election officials are properly trained and supported, and protecting the rights of voters ensures elections are secure and accessible to all citizens. We do not need federal actions or constitutional amendments that will impose barriers to voting.

As we go into the August primary, you can register to vote online, by mail, or in person until July 20 or register to vote in person at your city or township clerk’s office with proof of residency starting July 21. You can learn more about our election processes and important election information at MichiganVoting.org

Justin Mendoza (he/him) is the executive director of Progress Michigan, a nonprofit communications advocacy and government watchdog organization.