June 5, 2024 | Volume 6, No. 6
Hi friend,
Before I get into the content of this month’s newsletter, I want to remind you that we will be transitioning to a quarterly newsletter from now on. That means your next VNP newsletter will hit your inbox in September. If you’d like more frequent updates from Voters Not Politicians and Voters Ed Fund, I encourage you to sign-up for our (shorter!) Weekly Update emails here.
Now to this month’s newsletter! While some institutions wind down or take a break during the summer, Voters Not Politicians and Voters Ed Fund are moving into our peak season! We will be out and about in the summer weather, doing in-district Democracy Canvasses and co-hosting Town Halls with some of our pro-democracy legislator friends. We are also expanding our My City Votes 2024 campaign to a new city. This summer is certainly not VNP’s slow season!
We are also continuing to monitor the MICRC’s redraw of state senate districts in Metro Detroit. The public comment period has officially begun, and Voters Not Politicians is committed to making sure Metro Detroiters make their voices heard on the draft maps. VNP will be dropping flyers in several neighborhoods across the affected districts, directing residents to upcoming public hearings. We will also continue reaching out to residents through our digital ad campaign, which has thus far reached over 235,000 Metro Detroit residents in the affected senate districts. You can review the latest of our redistricting updates in past Weekly Updates here. (See the May 31 edition for analysis of the maps and tips on how to make public comment!)
This summer is also the ideal time to get involved and donate if you can. We need to be building up our resources now in order to fully implement the strategies and programs we have planned this election season. Make your gift to support our critical pro-democracy work today.
Whether you choose to support Voters Not Politicians with a financial contribution or by signing up for an upcoming Democracy Canvass, I want to end by reminding you that all of us at Voters Not Politicians are grateful for your continued support in every season.
Sincerely,
Jamie Lyons-Eddy
Executive Director
Voters Not Politicians
In This Issue
- My City Votes 2024 Just Got Even Bigger
- Summer is In Session
- ICYMI – VNP is Making Headlines
- Spotlight Rewind: When Diversity and Democracy Intersect
- 2024 Election Selections
- Upcoming Events
- How you can stay involved
Updates from the Field
My City Votes 2024 Just Got Even Bigger
As we prepare for the November General Election this year, Voters Ed Fund has been building up our partnerships with local clerks, mayors, and other trusted community leaders in our My City Votes communities to make sure that voters, especially those in underrepresented communities, know their voting options and have confidence in local and state election systems.
Summer is In Session
Just because the legislature is out of session, doesn’t mean our grassroots lobbying work is over. We’re launching our Summer Session of legislative action!
Want more updates from Voters Not Politicians? Sign up for our Weekly Update email!
ICYMI: VNP Making Headlines
- Redistricting panel asks for public comment on new Michigan Senate voting maps in metro Detroit May 23, 2024 | Michigan Advance
- Washtenaw United: ‘Voters Not Politicians’ working this election year to create greater equity and access to elections and government May 27, 2024 | WEMU
PEOPLE-POWERED
Spotlight Rewind: When Diversity and Democracy Intersect
For the last several years, Voters Not Politicians has intentionally looked at how our programs and policy priorities can serve all voters and uplift communities who have been historically marginalized in our democracy. That’s why, when possible, we target our outreach at events where diversity and democracy converge, such as Pride events and Juneteenth festivals.
Here’s how volunteering at diverse events makes an impact for our volunteers and for voters!
2024 ELECTION SELECTIONS
A selection of important information, dates, and details for the 2024 election cycle
- August Primary Election: August 6, 2024
- Voters can register to vote in the August election until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- BEFORE July 23 voters can register:
- Online (but only if you have a valid Michigan driver’s license or state ID).
- At a Secretary of State branch office.
- At your city or township clerk’s office or your county clerk’s office.
- At any state agency that provides public assistance or services to those with disabilities.
- By mailing in a completed voter registration application postmarked no later than the 15th day before the election (July 22 for the August Primary Election).
- Through a voter registration drive.
- July 23 through 8 p.m. on Election Day (August 6): there is only ONE way to register to vote – by visiting your city or township clerk’s office and providing proof of residency (like a paystub or utility bill).
- BEFORE July 23 voters can register:
- The Secretary of State has translated registration forms (go to the link and scroll down to “Voter Registration”) in multiple languages, including Arabic, Bangla, and Spanish; you can also find them and other in-language information on MichiganVoting.org’s in-language resource pages.
- Absentee Ballots must be available beginning June 22, 2024.
- July 26, 2024 is the deadline to spoil an absentee ballot.
- Early Voting may begin as early as July 7, 2024, and must begin by July 27, 2024. Early Voting ends August 4, 2024.
- Voters can register to vote in the August election until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
UPCOMING EVENTS
MICRC Senate Redraw Lit Drop: Saturday, June 8th, 10am-2pm
Help spread the word about the MICRC Senate redraw in metro Detroit. No experience is necessary, and you do not have to knock doors. Our goal is to get this information in as many hands as possible this weekend.
Proposal 22-2 Voter Educator Training:Thursday, June 20th, 6pm-7pm
Learn how to educate Michigan communities about their new voting rights from Proposal 22-2.
Tabling with Voters Not Politicians:
- Tabling at Kalamazoo Pride, Saturday, June 8th, 2pm-6pm (multiple shifts)
- Tabling at Kalamazoo Juneteenth Celebration, Saturday, June 15th, 3pm-7pm (multiple shifts)
- Tabling at Kalamazoo Black Arts Festival, Saturday, July 13th, 12pm-6pm (multiple shifts)
Pro-Democracy Canvass: Join us to knock doors or lit drop in your neighborhood to promote critical election reforms in Michigan. There are a lot of priorities in this legislative session, so it’s up to Voters Not Politicians to inform voters about the policies that will best protect Michigan voters and our elections.
- Battle Creek Pro-Democracy Walk, Wednesday June 12th, 12pm-2pm
- Taylor Pro-Democracy Walk, Saturday, June 15th, 12pm-2pm
- Wyoming Pro-Democracy Walk, Wednesday, June 19th, 12pm-2pm
- Warren Pro-Democracy Walk, Saturday, June 22nd, 12pm-2pm
- Sterling Heights Pro-Democracy Walk, Wednesday, June 26th, 12pm-2pm
- Riverview Pro-Democracy Walk, Saturday, June 29th, 12pm-2pm
- Orion Pro-Democracy Walk, Wednesday, July 10th, 12pm-2pm
- Milan Pro-Democracy Walk, Saturday, July 13th, 12pm-2pm
- Rochester Pro-Democracy Walk, Wednesday, July 17th 12pm-2pm
- Mt Clemens Pro-Democracy Walk, Saturday, July 20th, 12pm-2pm
- Ann Arbor Township Pro-Democracy Walk, Saturday, July 27th, 12pm-2pm
Democracy Academy Virtual Workshops: Democracy Academy provides basic and intermediate adult civic education to the public, enabling budding grassroots activists to learn about and effectively interact with their local government.
- Democracy Academy: Participatory Budgeting- Taking Part in Your Local Government’s Spending, Tuesday, June 18th, 6pm-7pm
- Democracy Academy: Monitoring Your Local Elections, Wednesday, July 24, 6pm-7pm
- Democracy Academy: Starting a Local or Statewide Ballot Initiative, Wednesday, August 21st, 6pm-7pm
TAKE ACTION
How you can stay involved, and help make structural democracy reforms
- Sign up here to be part of the Dial for Democracy (DFD) legislative advocacy team, 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 your Voters Not Politicians Volunteer pride with official VNP merch!