Voting-rights coalition seeks injunction on citizen check-off box for voters in Michigan

A voting rights coalition wants a federal judge to issue a preliminary injunction prohibiting the use of citizen check-off boxes that ask Michigan voters to confirm their U.S. citizenship on November ballot applications.

Judge Paul Borman in Detroit set a hearing for Friday morning.

The American Civil Liberties Union's Michigan chapter, unions and others want Secretary of State Ruth Johnson to be ordered to stop requiring the check box, and that all clerks be told the box shouldn't be used.

The secretary of state's office is defending the citizenship box, saying voters still will be given a ballot even if they refuse to answer the citizenship question. State lawyers representing the secretary of state say a citizenship question could prevent an unqualified person from voting and committing a crime.