State Rep. Ann Bollin, R-Brighton Township, offered congressional testimony today before the U.S. House Committee on House Administration in Washington, D.C., which has oversight authority over federal elections.

Bollin, a longtime advocate for strengthening elections and improving public confidence in the democratic process, testified in support of several of the reforms included in the Make Elections Great Again (MEGA) Act. The measure would set nationwide baseline standards for federal elections, including voter identification requirements, citizenship verification for voter registration, and stronger routine voter list maintenance.

“I’m truly honored to have been asked to testify and to have my experience in election administration recognized at the national level,” Bollin said. “The perspective I bring comes from years of hands-on work, and I appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the conversation about safeguarding our elections.”

Before joining the Michigan Legislature, Bollin served for 16 years as Brighton Township Clerk, where she oversaw the administration of local elections. In the Michigan House, Bollin serves as chair of the House Appropriations Committee. She previously chaired the House Elections and Ethics Committee, where she led policy discussions following the 2020 election.

“Election integrity is a broad term, and it has become a divisive label that fuels assumptions about people’s motives,” Bollin said. “If someone speaks in favor of election integrity, they are branded with a ‘MAGA’ label or called an election denier. If someone raises concerns about access, they are accused of ignoring security. That dynamic erodes trust and distracts from the shared goal of strong elections.”

Bollin’s testimony emphasized that restoring public trust should be a shared national priority.

“The MEGA Act provides an opportunity to establish practical, nationwide baseline standards for federal elections while respecting the role of states in administering them,” Bollin said. “With thoughtful implementation, we can make elections work better for voters, for election officials, and for the country as a whole to ensure every eligible voter can vote freely, secretly, independently, and securely.”

Bollin reminded the committee that Congress has acted in bipartisan fashion before to strengthen election administration, including through the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act, and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).

Following the disputed 2000 presidential election and the “hanging chad” controversy, lawmakers from both parties came together to pass HAVA to restore public confidence. The law modernized election systems, required statewide voter registration databases, improved voting equipment, and expanded accessibility safeguards. Bollin said the MEGA Act offers a similar opportunity for the country to come together.

“This is an opportunity to let the American people know we are listening, to get back to the basics and lead this country back to its greatness by establishing some common ground instead of what seems to be more like an adolescent boys’ game of dodge ball,” Bollin said.

Bollin also took the opportunity to call for adequate and consistent federal funding to support election administration, noting that modern election infrastructure, secure voter registration systems, and updated equipment require sustained investment to ensure compliance with federal standards and to maintain voter confidence.