FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022
CONTACT: Stephanie Cepak, Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications, scepak@byrumfisk.com
Michigan’s largest labor groups endorse Proposal 2
Ballot initiative will help ensure every eligible Michigan voter’s voice is heard and their vote counted
LANSING, Mich. – Michigan’s largest labor unions, representing over 1 million Michiganders, today announced their support for Proposal 2, a ballot initiative that protects the fundamental right to vote and makes voting more secure and accessible.
“Michigan’s working families come from every background and zip code in our state. The Michigan AFL-CIO strongly believes that our right to vote should be protected, and every Michigander deserves secure and accessible elections,” said Ron Bieber, President of the Michigan AFL-CIO. “Proposal 2 can help ensure that every vote is counted and every voice is heard.”
The Michigan AFL-CIO is a federation of labor organizations representing around 1 million Michiganders working in a wide range of industries, from retail, manufacturing and transportation to education, public employees and professional football players.
“Proposal 2 can help make our elections more accessible for eligible voters, while preserving the integrity of each vote by enshrining Michigan’s current effective voter ID requirement into our state Constitution,” said Lawrence A. Roehrig, President of Michigan AFSCME Council 25. “Our current voter ID law is the same or stricter than 37 other states. It also provides safeguards for eligible voters without an ID to cast their ballot by mail or in person.”
Michigan AFSCME represents approximately 40,000 people working in state, county and local governments.
“Proposal 2 is crucial to empowering educators and parents to be heard on issues affecting our local schools and our children’s education,” said Paula Herbart, President of the Michigan Education Association. “By making voting more accessible for working parents and others with busy schedules, Proposal 2 can help eligible voters cast their ballots when, where and how they choose, all while enhancing election security and integrity.”
The MEA represents around 120,000 teachers, education support professionals and higher-education faculty and support staff across Michigan.
“Proposal 2 guarantees eligible voters the right to vote without harassment or intimidation, and that’s one of the main reasons we support it,” said David Hecker, President of the American Federation of Teachers-Michigan. “With nine days of early in-person voting and a streamlined, more secure vote-by-mail process, Proposal 2 can help expand voter access and give every eligible voter the opportunity to be heard.”
AFT-Michigan represents public school educators and health care workers throughout the state, with around 35,000 members.
“For busy folks who juggle work, family and other duties, Proposal 2 can help make voting more accessible to more eligible voters with common-sense measures that also preserve election integrity,” said Jennifer Root, Executive Director for SEIU Michigan. “SEIU Michigan and our members applaud Proposal 2 for balancing security with access, and for putting in place safeguards that can help reduce harassment and intimidation.”
SEIU Michigan represents around 30,000 members in health care, government and other industries.
Promote the Vote 2022, the campaign supporting Proposal 2, noted the key provisions of the ballot initiative:
- 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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