Take Action with Voters Not Politicians
December 19th is the last scheduled day of session under Michigan’s pro-voter trifecta government, so now is the time to push our state legislature to enact critical pro-voter reforms before it’s too late.
You can join Voters Not Politicians’ grassroots lobbying program, Dial for Democracy, to support any of the following pro-democracy legislative action. Simply fill out the short form at the bottom of this page, then check your inbox for our email with detailed instructions on how to contact your lawmakers about the issue(s) that matter most to you.
Here's a list of top priority pro-democracy legislation your lawmakers need to hear about:
Michigan Voting Rights Act (SB 401, SB 402, SB 403, SB 404): By enacting the Michigan Voting Rights Act, Michigan can become a national leader in safeguarding the right to vote, especially for communities that continue to face increased barriers to voting. Passing this legislation now is even more critical with the expected dismantling of voting rights protections at the federal level.
Lobbyist Reform (HB 5581, HB 5586): Establishing legislative staff and other state office-holders as lobbyable officials, making them subject to the same reporting and gift restrictions applicable to legislators, and closing the lawmaker-to-lobbyist revolving door are common sense policies that will help give voters confidence that their elected representatives are focused on policies that best serve the people, and not on auditioning for their next job as a lobbyist.
Ending Prison Gerrymandering (SB 494): Prison gerrymandering misrepresents incarcerated people as residents of a prison cell rather than their home communities during the US Census count, resulting in skewed representation for every political district in the state. Ending this practice by accurately counting incarcerated people as residents of their home communities will result in more fair and balanced districts, where lawmakers are able to better serve their constituents' interests.
Taking Back Our Power (HB 5520, HB 5521, HB 5975, HB 5976): Backed by the Taking Back Our Power coalition, these bills would prohibit monopoly utilities and government contractors from spending money on political campaigns. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and 15 other states impose regulations on these entities; this is a commonsense policy that will restore trust in state government and ensure that our legislators are serving the interests of the people.
Activists across the political spectrum can all agree that picking up the phone and calling your elected officials is one of the most effective ways to make your voice heard. In fact, many elected officials and their staff members have stated that a phone call from a constituent holds more weight than an email, tweet, or a fax.
By signing up for Dial For Democracy, you will receive email alerts when it's time to call your lawmakers on legislation or decisions that impact Michigan's democracy. These alerts will contain info and a script to help you have an easy and productive call to your local lawmaker.
Now is the time to take effective, meaningful actions to protect our democracy before it's too late.