Michigan board obeys state Supreme Court order, puts abortion rights proposal on ballot
A question on Michiganโs November ballot asking voters to put the right to an abortion in the state constitution could draw more left-leaning voters to the polls and boost Democratsโ power in the battleground state.
Vice President Kamala Harris visits Detroit; talks voting rights, vaccination efforts
After postponing her trip at the end of the last month, Vice President Kamala Harris spent the day in Detroit on Monday, talking about voting rights and the push to get more Michiganders vaccinated, especially Detroiters.
Michigan reps. split on support of For The People Act
The United States House passed the For the People Act, which could become the biggest expansion to federal voting rights since the 1960s. The For the People Act is a bill that aims to change who can participate in elections, campaign finance and ethics laws in addition to protecting and expanding voting rights. โHR-1 is extremely important because itโs about returning the power back to the American people,โ U.S. House Rep. Brenda Lawrence (MI-14) said of the bill. READ: House passes sweeping voting rights bill over GOP oppositionREAD: Supreme Court could put new limits on voting rights lawsuitsAdThe U.S. House voted in favor to pass the bill with bipartisan support. However, Rep. Bill Huizenga, of Michiganโs 2nd congressional district, disagrees and voted against the bill.
New exhibit at Charles H. Wright Museum showcases the fight, history behind voting rights
The exhibit showcases a timeline of the right and the fight to vote, spanning centuries. RELATED: Housing discrimination in Detroit: An example of systemic racismโIt is an inter generational activity,โ said museum educator Yolanda Jack. The exhibit ends with the fight over the electoral college, gerrymandering and voter suppression still happening today. โI do think that there are people who are trying to make sure there are some people in the world who canโt vote,โ Jack said. Voting Matters runs through the spring.
Blind Michigan Supreme Court Justice turned away by clerks office while trying to get absentee ballot
BIRMINGHAM, Mich. A Michigan Supreme Court Justice tried to get his absentee ballot in Birmingham this week and get assistance filling it out, but things didnt go smoothly. Justice Richard Bernstein is the first blind justice, elected by voters statewide, to the Michigan Supreme Court. Bernstein was elected to the Michigan Supreme Court in November 2014. Bernstein was turned away because workers in the clerks office didnt know how to get him his absentee ballot. READ: Michigan Department of State launches online absentee voter applicationYou go online today and there is no choice to get an absentee ballot, attorney Jason Turkish said.
Claims of vote by mail fraud unfounded in Michigan
DETROIT As the state works to get every registered voter an absentee ballot application, concerns and claims have been swirling around the conversation of vote-by-mail. There's no evidence that voter fraud happens in incidents of allowing citizens to vote by mail, which they have a right to do in the state of Michigan, Sec. In states like CO, WA, OR and Utah which have moved to almost entirely vote by mail, absentee fraud has been extremely rare. In Michigan, there have only been 5 convictions for absentee ballot fraud since 2007, according to the Conservative leaning Heritage Foundation. An increase in absentee votes will drastically alter how ballots are normally counted, likely taking more time and manpower.
Michigan League of Women Voters sues Secretary of State over absentee voting rights amid controversy
LANSING, Mich. The League of Women Voters (LMV) of Michigan filed a lawsuit against the Michigan Secretary of State on May 22 regarding absentee voting rights ahead of upcoming elections. Proposal 3, also known as the Voting Policies in State Constitution Initiative, was approved in 2018 and added no-excuse absentee voting to the Michigan Constitution. While its clear that absentee voting is a priority for Michigans Secretary of State, the LMV claims that Michigan voters are still facing unconstitutional barriers to absentee voting that need to be addressed ahead of the upcoming elections. Michigans LMV is also requesting that the state pays for postage for absentee voters and process ballot applications within a 24-hour time slot. Benson is actually sending absentee ballot applications to registered Michigan voters who can choose if theyd like to vote by mail in August and November.