Joanne Williams
Editor

(Courtesy photo – Stacy Surato)

All sorts of praise, concerns, thanks, and information were shared at Rep. Angela Witwer’s weekly wrap-up meeting, this time held February 13 in Eaton Rapids.

The praise went out at a ceremony earlier in the morning at Eaton Rapids High School, where teacher Stacy Surato, who was honored with her Teacher of the Month  Award from November.

The student who nominated her, sophomore Shane Fowler, said of his teacher, “She supports all of the students equally; she helps everyone.”

Fowler is also part of a Youth Advisory Committee reporting to Witwer, made up of students across the district. Witwer said the committee is a place for students to express their take on topics with peers and then share information they choose with Witwer. She also seeks their input on issues.

The second floor meeting room in the Eaton Rapids City Hall held 30 or so community members Friday the 13th, treated to coffee, and tasty treats donated by Blessed Baked Goods. City Manager Yvonne Ridge thanked folks for their participation at the meeting’s end.

Witwer traditionally opens these sessions with a wrap-up of her current work and information from the state legislature. She mentioned items such as Gov. Gretchen Witmer’s recent cell phone legislation for schools, pesticide exposure concerns, and presentations she has seen around the county.

Community members wanted to discuss a number of issues, some national, such as the presence of ICE across the country, as well as voter fraud. There was a lengthy conversation about the proposed SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act, also referred to as the Save America Act, which would put proof of eligibility to vote on the voter, ensuring citizenship verification.

Citizenship is a requirement to vote, just like age. This Act would require voters to produce proof of citizenship, in addition to documents already in use at the polls in federal elections (typically a driver’s license or photo identification).

According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Act, which has been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives (on February 11), seeks to eliminate non-citizen voting. A 2025 study showed that “.04% of voter verification cases are returned as noncitizens.”  Ways to provide citizenship could include a birth certificate, passport, or a Certificate of Citizenship. Studies show, according to the report “Five Things to Know About the SAVE Act,”  that many voters do not have these documents readily available. For example, “52% of registered voters do not have an unexpired passport with their current legal name.” 

Witwer’s take on the issue: Legislators are trying to “solve a problem that is not a problem.”

A weekly wrap-up meeting is also set for Delta Township on March 6 at the township building.