Press Releases

STAND UP AMERICA APPLAUDS MI SECRETARY OF STATE BENSON, LEGISLATURE FOR INTRODUCING SWEEPING VOTING RIGHTS PACKAGE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
JUNE 23, 2023

PRESS CONTACTS:
Sarah Harris, [email protected]

LANSING—Today, Stand Up America applauded Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Democratic lawmakers for introducing the Michigan Voting Rights Act, a legislative package to strengthen Michiganders’ freedom to vote. If passed into law, the Michigan Voting Rights Act would:

  • Protect voters’ access to the ballot and prohibit future voter suppression; 
  • Improve accessibility for the elderly and voters with disabilities; 
  • Protect voters with limited English proficiency and establish criteria for counties to translate election materials;
  • Ensure that bad actors can be held accountable for violating the freedom to vote. 

Stand Up America’s President and Founder, Sean Eldridge, issued the following statement on the bill introduction:

“While progress on federal voting rights legislation has stalled and far too many states are creating barriers to the ballot box, Michigan has an historic opportunity to protect the freedom to vote for years to come. 

“Last year, Michigan voters took an important step to protect democracy by passing the Promote the Vote constitutional amendment, but more must be done to prevent future attacks on the freedom to vote in Michigan and to ensure that the ballot box is accessible to all eligible voters, including Black and brown voters who have faced voter suppression and new Americans whose first language is not English.

“We applaud Secretary Benson for her continued leadership on protecting our democracy and the freedom to vote, and we encourage lawmakers to swiftly pass the Michigan Voting Rights Act.”

In 2022, Stand Up America members in Michigan sent nearly a million peer-to-peer text messages to voters to educate them on the stakes of the Secretary of State race and the importance of passing Proposal 2, which helps ensure that every eligible Michigander has their vote counted and their voice heard.

To speak with a Stand Up America representative about their work in Michigan, please don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected]. 

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About Stand Up America
Stand Up America is a progressive advocacy organization with nearly two million community members across the country. Focused on grassroots advocacy to stand up to corruption and voter suppression and build a more representative democracy, Stand Up America has driven over 1.7 million calls to lawmakers, registered over 100,000 voters, mobilized thousands of protestors, and contacted tens of millions of voters.

Website: StandUpAmerica.com
Twitter: @StandUpAmerica
Instagram: @StandUp_America
Facebook: @StandUpAmerica