Today’s Michigan voter is faced with a growing number of media outlets and partisan organizations sharing biased information which can be confusing to a voter hoping to make an informed and educated decisions.  MVP aims to be an ongoing source of non-partisan information that is easy to use and understand. Please visit often for the latest voting news and updates!

DECEMBER, 2011

We've moved! The office of League of Women Voters of Michigan has been located in the lower level of the Impressions 5 Museum in Lansing since June of 1972. Since the museum will be undergoing renovations in 2012 and will be expanding into the space used by LWVMI, we had to find a new home. We have now moved into a great new office at 600 W. St. Joseph Street in Lansing. The new office is in a convenient location and provides us with additional space for meetings, private offices, and storage that our growing organization needs. The phone number (517-484-5383) will remain the same. Stop by and visit us!

NOVEMBER 14-16, 2011

LWVUS President Elisabeth MacNamara spent several days in Michigan to meet with Congressional staff and talk to the media about the Clean Air Promise. She spoke at a public event, "Protecting the Health of Our Families through Clean Air Policies," at the University of Michigan-Dearborn on November 15th about the need to fight against those in Congress who are seeking to undermine the Clean Air Act. MacNamara was joined by speakers Sue Smith, LWVMI President, and Pam Ortner, Michigan Clean Air Nurse Advocate with Health Care Without Harm.

OCTOBER 19, 2011

LWVMI and the Thomas M. Cooley Law School sponsored Redistricting: Not Just for Insiders to review Michigan’s current redistricting methods and present alternative approaches. Joining League President Smith on the panel were former League of Women Voters U.S. President Mary Wilson, and Jeff Guilfoyle, President of the Citizens Research Council of Michigan. Former State Representative Lynn Jondahl moderated the discussion. “We knew the prospect of major change was unlikely this year, when legislators had a direct stake in the outcome” said President Sue Smith. “But now, with the benefit of recent experience and the stakes deferred for a decade, we should be able to have constructive dialogue about how to do it better next time. We are going to continue the conversation and work for a process that allows voters to choose their representatives, rather than the other way around.”

OCTOBER 5, 2011

President Sue Smith addressed the Detroit Rotary Club at the Detroit Athletic Club on the topic of "Strengthening our Democracy". Given the League's belief that a strong democracy depends upon the active participation of an informed electorate, Smith highlighted the League's voter service activities, the need for no reason absentee voting and early voting and the disclosure of who pays for third party campaign ads. Read her remarks here.

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

Joined by US Rep. Hanson Clarke, President Sue Smith spoke in defense of the Clean Air Act at the Delray Community Center in Detroit. President Smith referenced a recent national poll indicating the public's strong disapproval for President Obama’s Smog Rule Delay and their unfavorable ratings for Congress’ assault on Clean Air Act. See a recap of the poll here.

MAY & JUNE, 2011: President Sue Smith testified in front of the House and Senate Redistricting Committees a total of five times in May and June, 2011.  Smith represented the Michigan Redistricging Collaborative, of which the League of Women Voters of Michigan is a member.  Click here to view testimony given on June 21st. 

JUNE 14, 2011: Retired US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was the keynote speaker at a forum at a June 14, 2011 forum at the Wayne State University Law School that explored different approaches to selecting Supreme Court judges. The forum was sponsored by the Judicial Selection Task Force, chaired by Michigan Supreme Court Justice Marilyn Kelly and Senior Judge James L. Ryan of the US Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Justice O'Connor is honorary co-chair of the task force. The event was part of the Task Force's study of methods of selection of Supreme Court justices in the 50 states, and evaluation of Michigan's unique system of selection of Supreme Court justices.  LWVMI promoted the event and assisted with the registration.

ACTION ALERT, APRIL, 2011:  League members and supporters are urged to contact their legislators or write a letter to their local newspaper calling for a more transparent redistricting process.  Read more...

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF MICHIGAN by clicking here

• May 2011

The latest developments in the Michigan Voter Power Campaign can be found in the current E-Letter:  May 2011  Previous issues can be found here.

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