DETROIT– The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and All Voting is Local, with its joint And Still I Vote℠ campaign, will hold a series of events to mobilize voters in Michigan, and to urge officials to safeguard voting by mail and protect in-person voting options.
As of last week, more than 1.5 million mail-in ballots were requested by Michigan voters for the August primary election, compared to only 410,804 mail-in ballot requests at the same time in 2016. Many voters will be unfamiliar with the vote by mail process, or may want to vote in person. Through this week’s events, Turn Up Tuesday will gather public health experts, elections officials, and voting rights advocates to provide crucial information to voters and call for necessary reforms to election processes.
This is a part of Turn Up Tuesdays, a weekly, national call to action to ensure people are informed and activated to vote in November. Turn Up Tuesdays is dedicated to ensuring that upcoming elections do not encounter the disarray that voters experienced across the country, in states like Wisconsin and Georgia. This series highlights how democracy works best when everyone can fully participate.
Monday, July 13
Vote by mail education campaign — Beginning Monday, All Voting is Local Michigan will launch the second phase of a campaign to educate voters on how to fill out and return their mailed ballots. Resources on voting by mail will be shared with more than 500,000 voters through text messages and digital ads. By reaching out directly to voters, All Voting is Local Michigan will help to demystify the vote-by-mail process for those who may be unfamiliar with it.
Tuesday, July 14
5:30 p.m. EST
Turn Up Tuesday Facebook Live Event – The Leadership Conference and All Voting is Local will speak with guests about the upcoming elections in Michigan, how these elections are being impacted by COVID-19, potential issues voters might face, what can be done to prepare for these issues before November, and the increased number of mail-in ballot requests.
Speakers:
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson
Hannah Fried, national campaign director, All Voting is Local
Ben Gardner, Michigan campaign manager, All Voting is Local
Kamilia K. Landrum, executive director, Detroit Branch NAACP
Wednesday, July 15
11 a.m. EST
Press Briefing: Voting Safely in Michigan During a Pandemic – Leading medical professionals in Michigan will discuss necessary reforms to the upcoming elections through a public health lens. While voting by mail is a safe and secure option for voting, it is not a panacea. As COVID-19 cases spike around the country, these professionals will provide insight on the overlap between protecting our democracy and our health.
Speakers:
Aghogho Edevbie, Michigan state director, All Voting is Local
Dr. Rob Davidson, executive director, The Committee To Protect Medicare
Dr. Farhan Bhatti, family physician, board member, The Committee To Protect Medicare
Katie Pontifex, RN, bedside nurse, board member, Michigan Nurses Association
PRESS DIAL IN: 1 (877) 615-4337, Passcode 6346 893#