Bills making it illegal to possess a gun at polling locations in Michigan have been signed into law.

House Bills 4127, sponsored by state Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, D-East Lansing, and 4128, sponsored by Rep. Stephanie A. Young, D-Detroit, were signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Tuesday, effectively banning the open carry of firearms on an Election Day or while in-person early voting is being conducted within polling places and within 100 feet from the entrance of a building that is acting as a polling place.

Open carry is also banned for the 40 days before an election when individuals can vote with an absentee ballot by dropping it off at a ballot drop box or at a local clerk’s office or satellite office.

Whitmer’s office said the bills build on the administration’s “commitment to defending fair and free elections by reducing the threat of voter intimidation and suppression.”

“Today, we are taking action to prevent voter intimidation and gun violence in our state,” said Tsernoglou. “By increasing security measures, such as this legislation, we are ensuring that every Michigander can cast their ballot free from intimidation and that every election worker can perform their duty without fear of violence. I am thrilled to see this legislation signed into law.”

Young said the legislation, which cleared the state Senate earlier this year, is focused on protecting voters, election workers and officials, none of whom should feel threatened or intimidated while at the polls.

“By creating safe, weapon-free zones around polling places and counting boards, we’re reinforcing the principle that violence has no place in our electoral process,” said Young.

Included in the legislation are exemptions for both on and off-duty police officers, individuals dwelling in residences within 100 feet of a polling place or ballot box, as well as persons with a firearm lawfully in their car within 100 feet of balloting locations.

The legislation followed an earlier attempt by Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, when she issued a directive banning firearms at polling locations in 2020. That was quickly struck down by a Michigan Court of Claims judge, a decision subsequently upheld by the Michigan Court of Appeals.

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