LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Two Republican lawmakers introduced legislation Thursday that they say would protect the security of voting systems from foreign threats.

Sen. Ruth Johnson (R-Holly) and Rep. Rachelle Smit (R-Martin) sponsored Senate Bill 468 and House Bill 4720. These bills would “prohibit new voting systems in the state from including any parts or equipment from foreign companies that would pose an unacceptable security risk. The bills would also prohibit the Board of State Canvassers from approving any system containing such parts or equipment for use in Michigan elections.”

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Many Michigan cities, including Lansing, are in need of updated election equipment. The two bills introduced would mirror a federal law that requires the Federal Communications Commission to establish rules stating that it will no longer review or approve election equipment that poses an unacceptable risk to national security or the American people.

“Components that are barred by federal law from being in our communications networks because they pose a national security risk should not be in our state’s voting systems,” Smit said in the press release. “This is a commonsense reform to protect our elections from foreign threats.”

Under these bills, any new election equipment acquired in the state after Jan. 1, 2026, cannot contain parts from companies which the FCC identified poses an unacceptable security risk.