Tell US Detroit, News Report, Posted: Jul 03, 2012

DETROIT, Mich.--Michigan Governor Rick Snyder vetoed state voter suppression bills today, reports Tell US Detroit News. SB 754, would have required a photo ID for voter registration and implemented new restrictive regulations on voter registration organizations. Also vetoed were SB 803, which would have required individuals to attest to their citizenship when voting in person or by absentee ballot; and SB 5061, which would have required a photo ID for picking up absentee ballots in person.

According to the news report, hundreds protested the legislation during its House hearing on May 22 of this year, where there was a recommendation that the amendments be adopted and that the bill pass. Demonstrators said they were concerned the bill would lead to significant voter suppression.

Today, many community leaders and advocacy groups lauded Snyder's decision.

“The governor heard us and did the right thing by vetoing these bills that would have made it a lot harder to register to vote and more difficult for people to cast a ballot,” Pastor W.J. Rideout of All God’s People church in Detroit told Tell US Detroit.