All political power is inherent in the people
The Michigan Constitution of 1963 begins with the following words: “All political power is inherent in the people.”
Voters Not Politicians envisions a truly representative democracy, where the will of the voters drives government decision-making and public policy. We are a nonpartisan advocacy organization that works to strengthen democracy by engaging people across Michigan in effective citizen action.
We have a track record of success
Voters Not Politicians is a pro-democracy organization and we've demonstrated our ability to enact real pro-democracy change. In 2017, we launched an anti-gerrymandering campaign to create a fair, impartial, and transparent redistricting process in Michigan. On November 6, 2018, Proposal 2 passed with 61% of the vote and created an Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.
In 2022, Voters Not Politicians played a critical role in getting Proposal 22-2 on the ballot, by gathering over 171,000 signatures through volunteer circulating. Proposal 22-2, which expanded voting rights and ballot access for all Michiganders, passed with 60% of the vote.
Our Policy Platform
Article 1, Section 1 of the Michigan constitution reads: “All political power is inherent in the people.”
This basic principle that ultimate power resides in the people is the foundation of our mission at Voters Not Politicians.
Voters Not Politicians defends and promotes policies that strengthen democracy. Michigan’s government must truly represent the will of the people, all votes must count equally, and all voices must be heard. Our representatives must not be unduly influenced by lobbyists or special interests or motivated by personal gain.
Our platform supports:
Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Voters Not Politicians has always been a grassroots, volunteer-driven organization. As we’ve grown, we’ve had to figure out how to make sure our work is true to our values and that our organization reflects the people we serve, which is all of Michigan’s diverse population.
Since 2021, we’ve begun implementing new practices aimed at increasing diversity among our staff, Board, and volunteers, and operating with a lens of equity and inclusion in recruiting and programming. This includes:
- Updating our hiring practices;
- Connecting our board with our volunteer community;
- Integrating DEI discussions as part of our weekly staff meetings;
- Looking at all decisions through a DEI lens;
And making a conscious choice to spend our time and resources on projects and programs that give voice to people and groups who are often underrepresented in our democracy.
Our work is centered around the first line of Michigan’s constitution: “All political power is inherent in the people.” We can only build our capacity to serve all of Michigan’s people by ensuring that our VNP community is diverse, inclusive, and equitable. We are committed to creating a space for activism that is welcoming and accessible to all in our movement to build a better democracy in Michigan.
Voters Not Politicians is leading the effort to engage with state legislators to pass good-governance reforms to protect voting rights, strengthen our democracy, and ensure political power remains in the hands of the voters.
How we started
Voters Not Politicians was formed when a small group of everyday Michiganders decided to take on the biggest problem in our political system: politicians who aren’t accountable to the people they represent. In the aftermath of the 2016 election, a group of political novices started organizing, and by 2018 we were a grassroots powerhouse of 6500 volunteers who, against all odds, got a constitutional amendment proposal on the ballot and passed to establish the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.
Why we endured
Voters Not Politicians stayed together after the ballot measure passed. We formed a family of organizations that empowers regular citizens to strengthen democracy against increasing threats. In 2022, we were proud to play a crucial role in the Promote the Vote 2022 coalition by collecting more than 170,000 signatures and knocking over 125,000 doors, leading to the passage of another transformational constitutional amendment for Michigan voters.
Where we’re going next
In 2022, thanks to the work of Voters Not Politicians, Michigan voters elected a pro-voter majority to both houses of the state legislature for the first time in decades. Voters Not Politicians launched a grassroots citizen lobbying program to advocate for ethics & transparency, campaign finance reform, and fair representation for all Michiganders.
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 are preparing to continue this fight and do what’s necessary to protect our state’s democracy so that political power remains with the people of Michigan.
Our Organization
Voters Not Politicians (VNP) is a 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to engaging Michigan citizens in effective actions to strengthen our democracy. We know that democracy is stronger when voters are engaged and educated, and demand to be a part of government decision-making and public policy.
Voters Not Politicians Education Fund (Voters Ed Fund) is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to strengthening democracy in Michigan through public education and civic participation.
The Voters Action Committee is an independent expenditure committee mobilizing a nonpartisan grassroots group of 5,000 organized, highly trained volunteers. Voters Action Committee is focused on electing pro-voter candidates who will fight to protect the integrity of our elections and the freedom to vote in Michigan. Voters Action Committee can accept unlimited personal and corporate contributions.