LANSING, Mich. – Supported by volunteers from Voters Not Politicians, the Troy City Council has passed a resolution in opposition to a package of 39 bills introduced by Michigan legislators which plan to limit voters’ rights and reduce election efficiency and equitability.
“Politicians are trying to manipulate democracy by attempting to implement legislation that will inhibit voting rights instead of expanding them,” said Nancy Wang, executive director of Voters Not Politicians. “By enacting this resolution, Troy City Council is standing with their constituents and advocating for nondiscriminatory elections and real voting rights.”
The resolution passed by Troy City Council comes after testimony from volunteers across Michigan who denounced the bills and urged state elected officials to defend election administration and voting accessibility instead of obstructing it.
Remarks from Council member Ann Erickson Gault:
“I try to focus on local issues, and I work to ensure when I’m proposing or voting on something, I’m doing it for the betterment of everyone in Troy. Unfortunately what I think we’re being faced with currently are issues that directly affect many constituents in Troy and more importantly, affect our local clerks’ ability to conduct elections fairly and efficiently.”
Remarks from Council Member David Hamilton:
“What problem are we solving? The election had integrity. The election was free and fair. There are courts and audits and people of all political leanings that agreed with that.
“I’m going to defer and respect the opinion of the Oakland County Clerks Association, which in our reports, they have provided a resolution which they passed. It passed unanimously and it talks about the different bills that are being proposed. One of these bills decriminalizes challengers who sign affidavits of training that are fraudulent, Senate Bills 291-293. To me, that directly affects our city business and how we run elections if that is allowed.”
As stated in the resolution, Troy voters overwhelmingly supported and approved Proposal 3 in November 2018, which brought same-day voter registration, no-reason absentee voting and other progressive changes to Michigan’s election law. The proposed package of bills would limit the use of ballot drop boxes, which proved to be a beneficial method during elections that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The audits that have been conducted by the Secretary of State have proven that our current elections are fair and not fraudulent, so these proposed bills only show that there are politicians who do not understand our current election laws and procedures,” Wang said.
These bills come on the heels of a historically successful election, where Michigan voters made their voice clear about election reform issues. A supermajority of Michigan voters – 67% – supported expanding access to the ballot through the Promote the Vote Proposal 3 ballot initiative in 2018. More than 5.5 million Michiganders exercised their constitutional right to vote in the 2020 presidential election — the most ever and the highest percentage of voting-age residents to cast a ballot in 60 years. Of those voters, 3.2 million cast their ballot by absentee. Over 250 audits at state and local levels showed that this election was safe, secure, and accurate.
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Voters Not Politicians is a nonpartisan advocacy organization that works to strengthen democracy by engaging people across Michigan in effective citizen action. Learn more at www.votersnotpoliticians.com.
