Urge Michigan Senators to Oppose Voter Suppression Bills before 2 p.m. This Wednesday

By MUUSJN on Wednesday, May 19th, 2021

URGENT ACTION NEEDED: CONTACT STATE SENATORS

MUUSJN is working in coordination with the “Promote the Vote Coalition”, ACLU People Power and the ACLU of Michigan, Voters Not Politicians, the NAACP and other groups that are working to oppose voter suppression in Michigan. We are sending you action alerts for different voter suppression bills that are being heard each week in the Michigan Senate Elections Committee that meets at 2 p.m. each Wednesday. Jessica Ayoub, Public Engagement Specialist with the Michigan ACLU is sending action alerts week before these hearings. To get on her list, email Jessica at jayoub@aclumich.org For more information on MUUSJN efforts to promote the vote and oppose voter suppression, contact randyblock@yahoo.com. We’ve just begun to fight!

A Message from Jessica Ayoub:

This week, we are asking you all to take action to oppose Senate Bills 275, Senate Bill 276, and Senate Bill 296, and 297.

  • Senate Bills 275 and 276 would allow election inspectors, challengers, and poll watchers to video record in polling places and AV counting boards. This risks undermining our constitutional right to a secret ballot and could reveal voters’ personally identifiable information. Our elections should prioritize voters and election workers, but these bills prioritize partisan challengers.
  • Senate Bills 296 and 297 would expand the size of some Boards of County Canvassers. It would give them: extra oversight over the canvassing process, oversight of hiring assistant clerks, and would require members from each political process to be present during the canvass, but does not have an enforcement mechanism to ensure that canvassers actually show up. This enables canvassers to stop a canvass by not attending. Moreover, the bills would grant extra oversight authority to political parties that would enable them to protest an election and upend the canvassing of elections. These bills are an unnecessary injection of partisanship into a long functioning process.

HERE ARE OPTIONS FOR ACTION:

  • I. Submit a card to the Senate Elections Committee, in opposition to Senate Bills 290, 291 and 309 before 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 17.
    • a. To submit a card, email the Committee Clerk, Heather Dorbeck (hdorbeck@senate.michigan.gov) and cc the Committee Chair, Senator Ruth Johnson (senrjohnson@senate.michigan.gov) and Minority Vice Chair Senator Paul Wojno (senpwojno@senate.michigan.gov)
    • b. Include the following in your email:
      • i. Subject line Suggestion: Card Opposing SB 275, SB 276, SB 296, and SB 297
      • ii. Your Name
      • iii. The bill # you are taking a position on (SB 275, SB 276, SB 296, and SB 297)
      • iv. Whether you oppose, support, or are neutral on the bill (we oppose)
      • v. Phone, email address, city of residence (all optional)
  • II. Call your legislator using the ACLU-MI Constituent connector line: 517.760.6214
    • a. When you call, you will be prompted to enter you zip code and will then be routed to your Senator. Whether you reach a person or a voicemail, please let them know you’re a constituent and that you oppose Senate Bills 275 and 276 because it violates our right to a secret ballot. Also let them know that you oppose Senate Bills 296 and 297 because we do not need to inject partisanship into this long functioning process.
  • III. Email your legislator using this link:
    • a. This email is editable—so tell your legislator that you oppose Senate Bills 275, 276, 296, and 297. You can use the brief bill explainers above as your justification!
    • b. Share this with your networks!

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