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Should new Michigan voters provide proof of citizenship? House Republicans think so.

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Should new Michigan voters provide proof of citizenship? House Republicans think so.


A ballot proposal by Michigan House Republicans would both reject votes cast without photo ID and require new voter registrants to show proof of U.S. citizenship.

A top House Republican, calling the measures a “no-brainer,” said they would enhance voter security. However, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson countered that they would “gut Michiganders’ voting rights in our state constitution.”

“Only U.S. citizens should vote in our elections,” said state Rep. Bryan Posthumus, R-Rockford. “And people should have to show ID when voting to prove that they are who they say they are. That’s just common sense.”

The proposed constitutional amendment is unlikely to pass the state Legislature, as it requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers. While Republicans have a majority in the House, they would need to pursuade Democrats in both chambers.

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Posthumus said it would be “political suicide” for Democrats not to support the measure.

If the legislature passed the measure, the proposed constitutional amendment would be placed on the ballot for voters to decide.

Benson called the proposal a failed policy that has been overturned in other states for “being blatantly unconstitutional.” She also claimed that in other states it has created a separate and unequal system of voting access for citizens or blocked “tens of thousands of eligible voters from casting their legal ballot in an election.”

“I stand with the people of Michigan who have overwhelmingly passed ballot measures to make voting more accessible and to enshrine citizens’ voting rights into our constitution,” she said. “We need to hold the line on protecting every eligible citizen’s constitutional right to cast a ballot in every election and get back to the business of working together on honest proposals to keep Michigan’s elections safe, secure and accessible.”

According to Votebeat, Arizona is the only state to enforce proof of citizenship requirements.

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After legal challenges to those requirements, Arizona now allows those without citizenship proof to vote only in federal elections, while those providing citizenship proof can vote in state, federal and local elections, according to Arizona voter instructions.

The proposed constitional amendment comes after a Chinese national allegedly cast his ballot during the 2024 presidential election in Michigan. That man, a University of Michigan student, faces criminal charges.

The other way the Michigan proposal could get on the ballot is by garnering enough petition signatures. A group called Prove it, Michigan has already vowed to start a petition drive if the legislation fails.

Currently, voters don’t need a photo ID to vote in person. They can sign an affidavit under penalty of perjury if they don’t have one.

The proposed constitutional amendment would require a valid photo ID to vote. If voters don’t have one, they can sign an affidavit and cast a provisional ballot, but that ballot won’t be counted unless a photo ID is presented within six days.

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Absentee voters would have to verify their identity by providing a copy of their ID, a driver’s license number, state personal identification number, or the last four digits of their social security number.

Currently, voters requesting an absentee ballot online must provide the last four digits of their Social Security number along with a photo ID number or acknowledgement that they do not have a photo ID.

Under the proposal, the state would provide free photo ID to people who cannot afford it. State IDs cost $10 and some residents are already eligible for a free ID.

Michigan doesn’t require residents to show proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. However, new registrants must attest under penalty of perjury that they are a U.S. citizen and that the information about their identity and residency is accurate.

The proposed constitutional amendment would require all new voter registrants after Dec. 18, 2026, to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or have the Secretary of State verify their citizenship. Proof of citizenship would not be required for every election.

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Lawmakers would later define the acceptable forms of proof of citizenship.

The state would also have to routinely verify the citizenship of all voters in the statewide qualified voter file.

Posthumus said citizenship proof requirements would help prevent instances of noncitizens voting in elections, citing the incident last fall where a Chinese student at the University of Michigan allegedly cast his vote in the presidential election.

That student, Haoxiang Gao, faces criminal charges. He allegedly used his student identification and documents showing his Ann Arbor residency to register to vote.

Chinese University of Michigan student arraigned for illegally voting

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Posthumus said the incident proves that non-citizen voting is a “real problem that needs to be fixed.”

“No citizen should ever have their vote canceled out by a non-citizen voting the opposite direction,” he said.

However, Benson and Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit said at the time that noncitizen voting is “an extremely isolated and rare event.”



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Michigan

How to stream Michigan 2025 high school wrestling individual state finals

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How to stream Michigan 2025 high school wrestling individual state finals


FLINT – The final weekend of the Michigan high school wrestling season is here, and for those lucky enough to keep competing into March, the grind was certainly worth it.

If you can’t make it to Ford Field, the NFHS Network has streaming video of every mat over the course of the two-day event.

NFHS streaming subscriptions cost $11.99 per month or $79.99 annually and can be purchased here. The subscription allows user to stream all sports on the platform.

Complete guide to Michigan’s 2025 individual wrestling state finals

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The action starts at 10:30 a.m. Friday with Round 1 matches, and it continues into the semifinals, which are scheduled to begin at 6:45 p.m.

Saturday starts with consolation bracket matches at 9 a.m., followed by the state championship bouts at 3:30 p.m.

Here’s a full schedule for Friday and Saturday:

Day 1 schedule:

10 a.m.: Grand March

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10:30 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.: Round 1 wrestling begins

1:45 – 3:15 p.m.: Consolation bracket wrestling begins

3:15 – 5 p.m.: Quarterfinals

5 – 6:45 p.m.: Blood round

6:30 – 8 p.m.: Semifinals

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Day 2 schedule:

9 – 10 a.m.: 3rd round consolation

10 – 11 am.: 4th round consolation

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Place matches

2 p.m.: Doors open for state finals matches

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2:50 p.m.: Finals March

3:30 – 6:30 p.m.: State championship matches

7 – 8 p.m.: Awards ceremony



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Clipper system aims toward northern Michigan. How much will it snow this weekend?

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Clipper system aims toward northern Michigan. How much will it snow this weekend?


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  • A winter storm is expected to hit Michigan this weekend, bringing heavy snow, rain, and potentially dangerous road conditions.
  • Areas from the Mackinac Straits to Sault Ste. Marie could see the most snow, with accumulations of 6-10 inches possible.
  • West Michigan, Lansing, and Detroit are expected to see a mix of rain and snow, with less accumulation than northern areas.

While it’s been warm this week and snow and ice have been melting, don’t put your shovel away just yet —  Michigan winter is bringing another snowstorm this weekend.

Portions of northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula will be coated in snow this weekend. The National Weather Service is predicting a mix of snow and rain in some areas, and warning of dangerous road conditions amid heavy, blowing snow and low visibility to the north.

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Areas from the Mackinac Straits to Sault Ste. Marie could see 6-10 inches of snow this weekend, the Gaylord NWS office said.

“A clipper system moving across the Great Lakes region this Friday will deliver widespread accumulating snowfall mainly north of M-32,” the Gaylord NWS said on X.

Here’s what the NWS is saying about the forecast.

How much will it snow in northern Michigan?

Northern Michigan is expected to get a mix of snow and rain Thursday and snow Friday as a clipper system moves in from Canada, the NWS Gaylord office said.

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A winter storm watch for some areas is set for 3 a.m. Friday until 1 a.m. Saturday. Snowfall between 5-10 inches and up to 30-mph wind gusts will make roads hazardous, with low visibility, the NWS said.

Snow accumulation could reach 6 inches or more Thursday night into Friday night in the Mackinac Straits area and north, the weather service says. Expect less snowfall in the regions farther south. Highs could be in the teens, 20s and 30s across the area. Lows are set for the 20s and teens overnights.

The heaviest accumulation is expected to be from north of Harbor Springs across northern Michigan toward Rogers City with 6-8 inches possible.

How much will it snow in the Upper Peninsula?

The Marquette area will see snow Thursday and a mix of freezing rain. A storm will bring moderate to heavy snow in the northern and eastern Upper Peninsula Friday, the Marquette NWS office said. Expect highs in the up to the low 40s, dropping to 20s, teens and single digits overnights.

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“A storm system could bring in moderate/heavy snow over northern and eastern portions of the U.P. late (Thursday) into Fri,” the weather service said.

The National Weather Service’s snowfall prediction website shows a wide swath of the Upper Peninsula — particularly from Munising east to Sault Ste. Marie, could see 10 inches of snow this weekend. Some areas inland from Munising could see nearly 11 inches.

Areas near Negaunee and Ishpeming also could see nearly 11 inches, the NWS said.

In Sault Ste. Marie, there is a winter storm watch, with a forecast for a mix of rain and snow Thursday, to be followed by heavy snow and blowing snow Friday, the NWS Gaylord office said. Snow accumulation could be up to 9 inches this weekend.

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Will it snow in west Michigan?

West Michigan could see a mix of rain and snow Thursday and Friday, the Grand Rapids NWS office said. Expect highs in the reaching the 40s before a cooling trend, with overnight lows in the 20s and teens. Conditions are set to be dry with sun and clouds this weekend.

“Windy conditions and a chance of rain and snow are expected through Saturday morning. We then cool down for the weekend before warming up early next week. Rain then returns to the forecast for Tuesday,” the NWS said.

Will it snow in Lansing?

The Lansing area is expected to see rain Thursday, and a mix of snow and rain Friday, the Grand Rapids NWS office said.

Conditions should be dry with a mix of sun and clouds this weekend. Expect highs in the 20s, 30s and 40s dropping to the 20s and teens overnights.

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Will it snow in Detroit this weekend?

Detroit is set for a mix of rain and snow Thursday, followed by dry, cloudy skies over the weekend, the NWS office in White Lake said.

“Localized pockets that see higher precipitation rates will experience mainly snow, with minor accumulations possible,” the weather service said.

Highs will reach the low 50s Friday before dropping back down to the 20s and 30s over the weekend. Overnight lows could be in the 20s and teens.

Will it snow in Port Huron and the thumb?

Port Huron is set for snow and a mix of rain and snow Thursday and Friday, the Detroit/Pontiac NWS office said. The weekend will see dry conditions with sun and clouds. Thursday could see about half an inch of snow accumulation.

Expect highs to reach the 40s before dropping, and 20s and teens overnight this weekend.

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In Port Austin in the thumb, Thursday and Friday will see a mix of rain and snow, the Detroit/Pontiac NWS office said.

Snow accumulation could be around 2 inches Friday. Expect highs in the up to the 40s, dropping to the 20s and teens overnights. The weekend will be dry with a mix of sun and clouds.

Will it snow in southwest Michigan?

In southwest Michigan, including Sturgis and Coldwater, Thursday could see rain or rain, and snow overnight, and Friday night will bring a chance of snow, the Northern Indiana NWS office said.

The region will be dry otherwise with a mix of sun and clouds this weekend. Expect highs reaching the low 50s Friday. Lows will drop to the 20s and teens overnights.

Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.

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This Michigan sculpture park and garden is the best in the country. Where you should visit

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This Michigan sculpture park and garden is the best in the country. Where you should visit


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  • The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids has been named the Best Sculpture Park in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for the third year in a row.
  • The park features more than 200 sculptures across its 158 acres, including a five-floor, 15,000-square-foot tropical conservatory.
  • Nominees for the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards are selected by a panel of industry experts and then voted on by the public.

The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park was named the Best Sculpture Park in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for the third consecutive year.

“Winning this award for the third year in a row is an extraordinary honor and a testament to the unwavering passion of our volunteers, members, guests, donors and staff,” said Charles Burke, president & CEO of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, in a news release.

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“This award underscores the importance of the gift of Meijer Gardens from Fred and Lena Meijer and our commitment to providing a world-class experience for 30 years that seamlessly blends art, culture and nature. We are deeply grateful for this recognition and look forward to inspiring our guests for years to come.”

What are the Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park?

Home to the largest tropical conservatory in Michigan, the 158-acre main campus in Grand Rapids hosts a multitude of outdoor gardens and a five-floor, 15,000-square-foot tropical conservatory.

The permanent sculpture collection features more than 200 pieces, many of which are displayed in the sculpture park. The museum also features rotating exhibits.

How can I visit the gardens and sculpture park?

The site is open seven days a week, except for Mondays in January, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Year’s Eve and Day.

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It is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Tickets for children 3 to 13 are $11, adults up to 64 are $22, seniors are $17, students with ID are $16. The venue does not accept cash.

What are the top 10 Best Sculpture Parks?

The top 10 destinations include:

  1. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park (Grand Rapids)
  2. Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park (Wilson, North Carolina)
  3. Brookgreen Gardens (Murrells Inlet, South Carolina)
  4. Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park (Hamilton, Ohio)
  5. Grounds For Sculpture (Hamilton, New Jersey)
  6. Laumeier Sculpture Park (St. Louis, Missouri)
  7. San Juan Islands Sculpture Park (Friday Harbor, Washington)
  8. Griffis Sculpture Park (East Otto, New York)
  9. Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
  10. Storm King Art Center (New Windsor, New York)

Who does the rankings?

The USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards highlights the very best travel, food, drink and lifestyle.

The panel includes industry experts who nominate their favorite attractions across a range of categories. Editors then vet the nominations and set a final list of nominees to be presented to the voting public.

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