Calling your state representative is the most effective way to make your voice heard to ensure that every person in Michigan can exercise their constitutional right to vote using an absentee ballot. On August 4, 1.6 million Michiganders voted by absentee ballot. Secretary of State Benson estimates that the total number of absentee voters will increase to 3 million or more for the November 3 general election. Join us as we demand that state legislators enact the following bills:
- Senate Bill 757 authorizes certain city or township clerks to open absent voter ballot return envelopes on the day before Election Day (currently, opening envelopes is not allowed before Election Day, which can slow the count)
- Senate Bill 756 allows for election inspectors to work in shifts to count absentee ballots after the polls close on Election Day (currently, shifts are not allowed which lead to long days for volunteers)
- House Bill 5987 allows mailed ballots to count if postmarked by Election Day if they arrive within 48 hours of the election
- House Bill 5991 would require clerks to contact voters if the signature on the absentee ballot envelope is missing or does not match the one on their registration
Find your Michigan Representative.
Once you have your state representative’s contact information, give them a call! You can use this script during your call. Please feel free to use the script below to help during your call. You are encouraged to share your personal story and how this legislation impacts you or loved ones during your call!
Hello! My name is [your name] and I am a constituent of State Senate District State Senate District / State House District State House District.
[IF LIVE ANSWER] I'm calling because I support the constitutional right of all Michigan voters to vote via absentee ballot, and Michigan needs the infrastructure in place to process the expected increase in absentee ballots in the next election. Senate Bills 756 and 757, and House Bills 5987 and 5991 together provide protections for voters and increase the ability of clerks to process absentee ballots. I want to thank Representative [name] for their work on this important issue and let them know that I support this legislation.
[IF VOICEMAIL] I want to thank [Representative name} for working towards safe and secure elections and let them know that I support SB 756 and 757, and HB 5987 and 5991. These bills offer important protections to voters, and allow clerks to process absentee ballots efficiently.
[IF YES]
- Great! I am very glad to hear that. Thank you and have a great day.
[IF NO]
- Do you know why Senator / Representative doesn't support protecting absentee voters or enabling clerks to process the anticipated large number of absentee ballots in a secure, efficient and accurate manner? (Record response.)
- Thank you for your explanation. I hope that Senator/Representative Senator / Representative keeps my feedback - and the rights of Michigan voters - in mind when considering this important topic.
Once you have completed your call, be sure to complete this form so we can track how many calls were made. After you complete the short form, you'll have the opportunity to email or tweet your legislators, too!