April 20, 2023
DETROIT — Michigan voting rights advocacy groups announce support for the Michigan Department of State’s proposed $177 million budget to implement Proposal 02, which will expand early voting to a nine day period, increase the total number of ballot drop boxes across counties, municipalities, and cities, expand access to absentee voting for all Michigan voters, and create a path to sustainably fund elections in Michigan.
In their letter, the group outlines the need to create a sustainable funding model to ensure elections remain free, fair, and accessible for all Michigan voters as part of Proposal 02 implementation. The proposed budget would ensure that election administrators receive the necessary funding and support to ensure Michigan elections are efficient, well-staffed, and administered effectively.
Noted in the letter, “Elections administrators are part of critical infrastructure. Implementing the Constitution’s new requirements is not discretionary, and the Secretary of State and clerks have emphasized that it will require significant work and resources for election officials. These resources are necessary to provide the training, transparency, audits, and other procedures that ensure the integrity of our elections, leading to greater access to the ballot for all Michigan voters.”
The full letter can be found here.
Background:
Today, Jocelyn Benson, Michigan Secretary of State, proposed a minimum funding requirement to implement Proposal 02 and sustainably fund elections. Her FY 23 Supplemental/FY 24 Estimated Election Costs memo can be found here.