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Opposition raises $2.5M to fight Michigan GOP voting changes

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A Michigan group has raised $2.5 million from a liberal nonprofit to fight a Republican-backed ballot drive that would toughen voter ID requirements, ban the unsolicited mailing of absentee ballot applications and make other election changes.

Protect MI Vote received the funding from Sixteen Thirty Fund, which is backed by anonymous donors.

Protect MI Vote has spent nearly $1.6 million, mostly to pay a company working to defeat the initiative.

Secure MI Vote, which has begun circulating petitions, doesn't have to submit its statement until Nov. 2.

If enough signatures are collected, the Republican-led Legislature can enact the initiatves without Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s signature.

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