December 4, 2024 | Volume 6, No. 8
Hi friend,
As you read this I’m gathering in Lansing with over 150 VNP volunteers, partners, and supporters to meet with lawmakers and make two things very clear:
- Voters want to see this pro-democracy legislature finish the work they started this session, and
- Voters Not Politicians is here to make sure this legislature fulfills its obligations to voters.
Very soon, anti-democratic extremists in the White House and Congress will have broad discretion to fundamentally alter and undermine voter protections and democratic institutions at the federal level. But now is not the time to wallow over the results of the last election or worry aimlessly about the future. Now is the time to get to work shoring up our democratic protections at the state level.
Here in Michigan, we have an advantage. No other state has an organization like Voters Not Politicians. Our people-powered movement was formed by ordinary citizens with the purpose of protecting our democracy from special interests and politicians, and in recent years, because of work done by Voters Not Politicians and our pro-democracy allies, Michigan has become a national model of democracy reform.
Now we’re on the ground, pushing leaders in Lansing to do the right thing and pass critical voter protections before the end of the year, including the Michigan Voting Rights Act and other legislation shared in the blog post below.
We’re also preparing for the future. We see the importance of civic education and engagement at the grassroots level, and that’s why we’ve got a plan to use our My City Votes program to support community organizations that are building up the grassroots pro-democracy movement in Michigan.
Voters Not Politicians has always been an organization for those who want to take action and achieve lasting results together, and we are excited to continue holding space for voters and champions of democracy who are ready to take on whatever challenges come next.
Sincerely,
Jamie Lyons-Eddy
Executive Director
Voters Not Politicians
In This Issue
- Legislative Lobbying in 2024
- My City Votes in 2025
- ICYMI – VNP is Making Headlines
- Coming Soon from VNP
- How you can stay involved
Updates from the Field
Legislative Lobbying in 2024
With only a few days of legislative session remaining under Michigan’s pro-voter trifecta government, Voters Not Politicians is activating our volunteers and mobilizing both our citizen lobbying and direct lobbying programs to pass our priority pro-democracy legislation.
My City Votes in 2025
Education and civic engagement are the foundations of democracy. Voters Ed Fund is ready to work with local community partners to expand our civic education programs and ensure Michiganders are empowered with facts and information, but we need to break through the increasing levels of damage caused by misinformation in this election cycle.
Here is how Voters Ed Fund will use the My City Votes program to achieve these goals.
Want more updates from Voters Not Politicians? Sign up for our Weekly Update email!
ICYMI: VNP Making Headlines
- In small towns, even GOP clerks are targets of election conspiracies September 5, 2024 | Michigan Advance
- In the tightest states, new voting laws could tip the outcome in November September 24, 2024 | Statesline
- Benton Harbor accepts elections grants WSJM | October 8, 2024
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Hosts Get Out The Vote Activities: Souls To The Polls And Midwest Impact Day Of Service Flint Courier News | October 9, 2024
- 2024 Election events for Flint-area residents Flint Beat | October 24, 2024
- The Follow Up with Mike Redford: Expanded Early Voting Delta College Public Media | October 29, 2024
- The Push To End ‘Prison Gerrymandering’ Gains Momentum 360 Law | November 1, 2024
- Bill would bar Michigan lawmakers from lobbying for one year after serving 9&10 News | November 15, 2024
Coming Soon from VNP
In 2025, Voters Not Politicians will be the state-focused, good government, pro-democracy group best positioned to take necessary actions to protect and strengthen Michigan’s democracy.
- Our army of volunteers is poised to use direct democracy to enact structural democracy reforms with the assurance that our state’s highest court will not undermine the will of voters.
- We will work to support local community partners and expand our civic engagement and education programs to ensure Michiganders are empowered with the tools to advocate for their unique and diverse communities.
- Through our citizen lobbying program, we will mobilize volunteers to engage directly with their elected officials to advocate for pro-voter legislative actions.
If the US is ever going to put itself back on the path towards a true democracy, pro-democratic reforms must happen at the state level. Voters Not Politicians is ready to continue this fight and do what’s necessary to protect and strengthen our state’s democracy so that political power remains with the people of Michigan.
TAKE ACTION
How you can stay involved, and help make structural democracy reforms
- Take immediate action through our Dial for Democracy (DFD) legislative advocacy program, and make sure you have opted in to receiving emails from VNP.
- Join our volunteer ranks. You can be part of the volunteer army that makes Voters Not Politicians a pro-democracy powerhouse!
- Make a donation to keep our pro-democracy movement going. Monthly recurring donations are especially important to keep VNP strong and help us plan for the future.
- Show off people-power behind Voters Not Politicians with official VNP merch!
