A Majority of Michigan Voters Support the Drive SAFE Proposal
By Anika Dandekar
A legislative proposal in Michigan known as Drive SAFE (Safety, Access, Freedom, Economy) would allow all Michigan residents, regardless of immigration status, to obtain driver's licenses. If passed, the law would permit undocumented residents to pass a driver’s exam and obtain car insurance, enhancing traffic safety across the state. New polling from Data for Progress, in partnership with We the People Michigan, finds that voters in Michigan are concerned about road safety and support the Drive SAFE proposal.
Michigan voters were asked how concerned, if at all, they are about certain issues in the state. Majorities respond that they are “very concerned” about car insurance costs (56%), and either “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about road safety and driver safety, as well as Michigan’s state finances.
Across party lines, voters say that lawmakers must do more to ensure traffic safety, including 65% of Democrats, 55% of Independents, and 66% of Republicans.
After reading a short description of the Drive SAFE bill, a majority of Michigan voters are in support, a +13-point net margin. Independents are split, while Republican voters oppose the bill by a -25-point margin.
By a +6-point net margin, Michigan voters also indicate that they are more likely to vote for a state representative who supports the Drive SAFE bill, including Democrats by a +53-point margin. Meanwhile, 1 in 5 voters in the state say it would not affect their voting decision.
Next, voters were presented with a message in support of and a message opposing the Drive SAFE bill. The majority of voters (52%) agree with the statement that the Drive SAFE bill would help Michigan by “decreasing car insurance costs and increase state revenue,” while 41% say that the bill would hurt the state by “incentivizing illegal immigration.”
Together, these results indicate that the Drive SAFE bill is popular with Michigan voters, who want to see the government take more action to promote traffic safety.
Anika Dandekar (@AnikaDandekar) is a senior analyst at Data for Progress.
Survey Methodology
From November 21 to December 1, 2024, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 716 likely voters in Michigan using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and recalled presidential vote. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error associated with the sample size is ±4 percentage points. Results for subgroups of the sample are subject to increased margins of error. Partisanship reflected in tabulations is based on self-identified party affiliation, not partisan registration. For more information please visit dataforprogress.org/our-methodology.