Proposal 2 passed in November, enshrining certain voting rights in Michigan’s constitution. Now the Democratic-controlled Legislature has passed bills to institutionalize the expanded rights across the state.

It’s critical to get the nuts and bolts of how Michigan’s new voting mechanisms will work in place as far in advance of the 2024 elections as possible. With the Democratic presidential primary moved up to the end of February, the Legislature has been under pressure to craft the new voting infrastructure — which should expand access for Michiganians — and help clerks implement it.

Still, some of these changes will require more volunteers and more funding, and have the potential to increase voting fraud throughout the state.

Voters expanded rights and access by passing Prop 2, but the onus will be on clerks and new volunteers to ensure election integrity, a contentious issue in Michigan during the past several elections.

One of the most time-consuming, radical changes is that counties will now be able to offer a minimum of nine days of early voting, more if local clerks think their municipality can facilitate it. There is a lot of flexibility in how individual municipalities can handle early voting, which can be beneficial. It may also mean only some residents will reap the benefits of the new system.

It’ll be up to clerks to decide whether or not their municipality can facilitate such an ask, meaning the state will become a patchwork of voting rules by county — or even by city, if local clerks have different resources. Poorer, more rural areas will be less likely to fund and create the same opportunities as more urban ones.

There are also concerns about expanding Election Day for so long before the actual day. Under the bills, clerks are allowed to offer between nine and 29 days of early voting. That could lead to unequal access for all communities as municipalities will shoulder additional early in person voting costs, on top of the millions of dollars it will cost the state to implement. Also, such expanded early voting could disrupt the ease and accessibility people have come to expect when they vote.

Democrats went further than the measures passed in Proposal 2, allowing ballots to be printed on demand at early voting sites and expanding the types of identification voters can acceptably submit to prove their registration. Expanding these terms can lead to fraudulent voting, especially if poll volunteers don’t know what to be looking for on each type of new ID.

These kinds of provisions, not approved by residents, open the door to a looser voting system than Michigan has had and than is even allowed by Prop 2. Such expansive voting procedures might further erode what lack of trust in the system already exists.

Prop 2 required expansion of the ballot drop box system, which means every city or township must have at least one drop box and distribute them equitably throughout a municipality. But this provision, too, could lead to an unequal distribution of resources for more urban areas with higher populations.

As this bill package heads to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, there are more expansive proposals making their way through Lansing, including pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds and repealing a ban on paid rides to the polls, as well as a Michigan version of the Voting Rights Act.

Michigan will be contending with massive new changes to its voting system in this fall’s municipal elections, and statewide and presidential elections in 2024.

The Legislature and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson should prioritize provisions that make it possible for clerks and volunteers to carry out Proposal 2 securely and efficiently.