Democracy isn’t a spectator sport—and this year, the volunteers of Voters Not Politicians have proven that when it comes to defending our rights, participation is our greatest strength. From mobilizing thousands of grassroots lobbyists through our Dial for Democracy program to fostering face-to-face accountability with our Legislative Liaisons and vetting a new cohort of lawmakers for 2026, our community is channeling civic frustration into direct, meaningful action.
Here is a look at how we’re holding power accountable and securing a stronger, more representative Michigan.
Thanks to the re-invigorated onslaught of attacks against voting rights this year, we have had many chances to engage our Dial for Democracy (DFD) volunteers in grassroots lobbying. DFD allows volunteers to engage with their legislators on meaningful legislation by simply picking up the phone. As elected officials feel more comfortable not hosting public events for their constituents, we are bringing their constituents to them.
We have nearly 3,000 DFD volunteers who receive these vital legislative alerts. Already this year Voters Not Politicians volunteers have contacted their state and federal elected officials about the federal Make Elections Great Again Act and SAVE America Act, and state legislation that would make voting harder for citizens and other legislation that would protect Michigan elections from federal overreach, the Michigan Voting Rights Act.
Simultaneously, Voters Not Politicians organizers are working to boost recruitment into our Legislative Liaison program. Legislative Liaisons are Voters Not Politicians’ primary method for engaging directly with state legislators. Trained volunteers attend their legislator’s in person events and discuss VNP’s current initiatives and policy priorities to the politicians as well as their constituents.
Organizers have contacted hundreds of volunteers to recruit them into this program that gives everyday Michiganders the opportunity to meet directly with their lawmakers and advocate for a stronger democracy. Through this process, volunteers have successfully advocated for legislation that directly impacted their communities while developing closer relationships with their local legislators.
Voters Not Politicians is not only focused on lawmakers already in office, but also candidates for office and the lawmakers who will represent Michiganders in the next legislative session. That is why a dedicated committee of volunteers and staff have been working since January to develop our 2026 Pro-Voter Candidate Approval process.
Committee members gathered the contact information and party affiliation of over 450 candidates running for the Michigan Legislature in 2026, and invited them to apply for our Pro-Democracy approval. 84 candidates total applied for a Voters Not Politicians Pro-Democracy designation, and the committee successfully completed interviews with 56 selected candidates. The interviews were volunteer-led, and interviewed candidates spanned the wide breadth of Michigan’s political and physical landscapes—many joining from areas as far north as the upper peninsula to the suburbs of metro-Detroit. Our volunteers used their myriad experiences and professional backgrounds to ask meaningful questions to candidates, accurately gauging their commitment to democracy through dialogue and relationship building. In total, 43 candidates received Voters Not Politicians’ Pro-Voter designation.
As we look ahead to the upcoming election cycle, our work is just beginning. The dedication of our volunteers is the driving force behind a more resilient democracy in Michigan. We invite you to join us in this ongoing effort, as every voice and every action brings us closer to a government that truly represents the people it serves.