The following can be attributed to Nancy Wang, Executive Director of Voters Not Politicians, on Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s move to send absentee ballot applications to every registered voter for the August and November 2020 elections:
We call on the state Legislature to act to protect voters’ lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. We applaud the Secretary of State’s office for doing what it can in the absence of legislative action to help voters vote by mail. But the Legislature has the power to authorize sending absentee ballots – not applications – to voters. Automatically sending ballots with pre-paid return postage will cut the red tape, save money, and empower all Michiganders to vote safely in this year’s elections.
A study from Pew Charitable Trusts found that Colorado, which has one of the most robust vote by mail programs in the nation, is estimated to have saved millions of taxpayer dollars at the state and local levels and provides a secure, more efficient voting experience. A majority of Colorado voters returned their ballots in person to their clerk’s office or in a secure drop box in the 2014 election.
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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.