FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022
CONTACT: Stephanie Cepak, Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications, scepak@byrumfisk.com
MI Supreme Court places Promote the Vote 2022 on Nov. 8 general election ballot
Court decision overrides partisan deadlock by Board of State Canvassers and lets the people of Michigan, not partisan appointees, decide
LANSING, Mich. – Promote the Vote 2022 released the following statement today after the Michigan Supreme Court ordered the Board of State Canvassers to place the initiative on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.
“We applaud the Michigan Supreme Court for seeing through the baseless and ridiculous claims of our opposition and holding that the voters of Michigan should have the opportunity to make their voices heard on this important issue,” said Khalilah Spencer, board president for Promote the Vote 2022. “This important ballot initiative will help ensure that every Michigan voter’s voice is heard and that every vote is counted in every election, no matter where you live, what you look like or what political party or candidate you support. Now that we are on the ballot, we look forward to the next phase of the campaign where we will be encouraging Michigan voters to vote yes on Proposal 2.”
Promote the Vote 2022 submitted more than 664,000 signatures from Michigan voters – more than 200,000 than was needed for a constitutional amendment. The Bureau of Elections staff report validated and confirmed the campaign gathered more than enough signatures and recommended placement on the November 2022 ballot, yet the Board of State Canvassers last week deadlocked on the issue.
Promote the Vote 2022 (pending as Proposal 2) would:
- Recognize the fundamental right to vote without harassing conduct;
- Require military or overseas ballots to be counted if postmarked by Election Day;
- Continue current law that provides voters the right to verify identity with photo ID or signed statement;
- Provide the voter right to a single application to vote absentee in all elections;
- Require state-funded absentee-ballot drop boxes, and postage for absentee applications and ballots;
- Provide that only election officials may conduct post-election audits;
- Require nine days of early in-person voting;
- Allow donations to fund election administration, which must be disclosed;
- Require canvass boards to certify election results based only on the official records of votes cast.
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