September 17, 2024
LANSING, MI – Today, the Michigan Voting Rights Act passed a historic Senate vote. If it ultimately passes the Legislature after a House vote by the end of the year, the MVRA will expand on the original federal Voting Rights Act by adding new protections for Michigan voters, including ones that focus on no citizen being denied the right to vote based on race. In response, All Voting Is Local Michigan State Director Ashiya Brown issued the following statement:
“Michigan voters were at the forefront of legislators’ minds today during the floor vote. The Senate prioritized access to the ballot, with support from voting rights advocates, disability advocates, language access advocates, election officials, and the people. In their recent polling, Legal Defense Fund found that ‘73% of Michigan voters would like their state representative to prioritize passing a Michigan VRA.’ Passing the Michigan Voting Rights Act is a commitment to protecting voters and an explicit statement that we won’t stand for election sabotage. The MVRA also addresses Michigan’s unique challenges when it comes to voting, from inaccessible polling locations to insufficient language assistance for voters whose primary language is not English, and more. We are thrilled to see our senators joining us when we say ‘all power to all voters.’”