MANY IN MICHIGAN HAVE AN ELECTION ON AUGUST 5TH
Primary elections allow citizens to actively participate in the democratic process and directly influence who they will have the chance to vote for in the general election (November 5th). Primaries narrow down the field of potential candidates, presenting a more focused choice for voters in the general election. To see if you have a primary election in your area, visit VOTE411.org. Many local Leagues offer candidate forms in advance of the August 5th election, so check out your local League’s calendar here.
JULY IS DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH
This month commemorates the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. It is a time to celebrate the achievements, contributions, and diversity of individuals with disabilities, as well as to advocate for equality and inclusion. A recent report from Detroit Disability Power revealed that only 13% of polling locations in the Metro Detroit Area are fully accessible to disabled voters. Read the report here.
LWV AND OTHER VOTING RIGHTS GROUPS CHALLENGE TRUMP’S ANTI-VOTER EXECUTIVE ORDER
On April 1, 2025, A coalition of voting rights organizations, including the League of Women Voters, filed a lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia to challenge President Trump’s unlawful executive order on voting. The order attempts to seize the power to set voter registration rules from Congress and the states, and doing so in a way that would violate federal law and the Constitution if carried out by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Key provisions of Trump’s order could disenfranchise millions of eligible voters, particularly voters of color, women voters, naturalized citizens, voters with disabilities, voters with low incomes, and first-time voters. On April 24, a preliminary injuction was granted by a District Court. Read more information here!
DON’T SIGN PETITION FOR ANTI-VOTER MEASURE
Did you know that all voter registration forms require the voter to attest to their citizenship under penalty of perjury? Despite this, a proposal to amend Michigan’s constitution is circulating that would require voters to provide documents to prove their citizenship in person at a clerk’s office. If the name on the birth certificate does not match a voter’s current ID, the voter will have to present other paperwork – marriage license, court orders, etc. This will block many voters who don’t have easy access to these documents from exercising their constitutional right to vote. We suggest that voters DECLINE TO SIGN the petition. Read this piece authorized the by the LWVMI co-presidents published in Bridge Magazine titled, “A Solution to a Problem that Doesn’t Exist.“
LWV DECLARES A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS
On April 17, 2025, Celina Stewart, CEO of the League of Women Voters, and Dianna Wynn, president of the League of Women Voters, released the following statement: “The foundational principles that have sustained our democracy — checks and balances, the rule of law, free and fair elections — are under direct and sustained threat. In this extraordinary moment, we cannot proceed with business as usual. All Americans — no matter who you voted for in 2024 — need to come together, stand united, and fight back to save our democracy. We cannot afford to fail the generations to come.” Read the entire statement here.
LWVMI SUPPORTS NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE
The National Popular Vote(NPV) guarantees that the electoral college and the presidency will be won by the candidate who wins the most popular votes in all 50 states and DC. When enacted, NPV will apply the concept of “one person, one vote” to our presidential elections, making every voter politically relevant in every presidential election for the first time. LWVMI supports House Bill 4156 and Senate Bill 126, which would add Michigan’s 15 electoral votes to a growing number of states supporting National Popular Vote. Watch this 2.5 minute video explaining NPV.
