Please excuse this barrage of newsletters — but we are responding to a barrage of bad bills and worse politics! Democrats need to step it up.
Join us!
Actions to Prevent Disastrous MI Senate Bills Restricting Drop Boxes
f you don’t love calling Republican Senators’ offices, there is another way you can make your voice heard. Submit a card to the committee! These two bills will pass out of committee Wednesday, so cards are needed Tuesday May 4.
- SB 273 adds prohibitively expensive regulations to drop boxes that will reduce voter access and would give full power to local county boards of canvassers to approve or disallow drop boxes, hampering voting access for rural communities.
- SB 286 would require the closure of drop boxes by 5 PM the night before Election Day, reducing voter access and putting even more of a burden on local clerks to accept ballots in their offices without the necessary training, funding, or resources that they need.
Here’s how you can take action:
Submit a card to the Senate Elections Committee, in opposition to Senate Bills 273 and 286
- 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)
Learn more.
Don’t forget!
And for the calls– SB285 Puts Voters at Risk for Identity Theft
SB285 creates a new hoop to jump through for voters who prefer to use an Absentee Ballot. Republicans in the Michigan GOP-led Senate are asking voters to mail in a photocopy of their ID with their application for an Absentee ballot. If you don’t include this, your ballot will become “Provisional” and you’ll have to make a trip to the clerk’s office in order for your Absentee Ballot to be counted.
Calling selected GOP Senators has been fruitful in the past! Call these Senators and tell them SB285 which requires mail-in photocopies of ID increases the likelihood of voters becoming victims of identity theft and poses an unnecessary burden and risk to Absentee Ballot voters: seniors, disabled, working and rural voters.
| Tom Barrett (R-24,Lansing) 517-373-3447 | Ed McBroom (R-38,UP) 517-373-7840 |
| Kevin Daley(R-31,Bay City) 517-373-1777 | Jim Stamas (R-36, Clare) 517-373-7946 |
| Ken Horn(R-32, Saginaw) 517-373-1760 | Dale Zorn (R-17, Monroe) 517-373-3543 |
Possible Script for calling Senators:
I am encouraging Senator __________ to reject SB285 that will make unnecessary demands on senior, disabled, working and rural voters by requesting a photocopy of their ID be mailed in with their Absentee Ballot application. Voting should be free from burdensome requirements like photocopies and mailing in photocopies containing personal information poses a risk to voters of becoming victims of identity theft.
References: https://www.uspis.gov/tips-prevention/identity-theft
https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Identity-Theft
https://www.democracydocket.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/45/2020/11/MI-SIB-285.pdf From Michigan Resistance.
Compassionate Community Conversations: The Flores Exhibit Thursday May 5, 6:30 p.m.
The Flores Exhibit brings visibility to the testimonies of migrant children and young adults held in detention at the U.S. / Mexico border. Join us to hear the experience of these youth in their own words and share our reflections, particularly in light of faith traditions and spiritual and moral values. Organized by the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice. Learn more here.
Yousef and You Community Forum
Saturday, April 24, 10-11 a.m.
More information here.
Virtual Coffee with Senator Jeff Irwin
Saturday, May 15, 11 a.m.
The link and more info here.