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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
MichiganVoting.org Coalition Thanks Voters, Election Workers, and
Urges Patience as Historically High Number of Absentee Ballots
are Counted
DETROIT, Nov. 4, 2020: The MichiganVoting.Org Coalition
thanks every single voter who cast their ballot and ensured
their voice was heard in this election. There was historically
high early voter turnout during the 40 days of early voting in
Michigan. The Coalition thanks the election officials and poll
workers statewide. As the frontline workers of our democracy,
they ensured the voting process was safe and secure.
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As we wait for the statewide vote count, MichiganVoting.org
calls for calm and patience among Michigan voters and news
outlets as every vote is accurately counted. This orderly
process of tabulating absentee ballots and validating vote
totals proceeds under the supervision of state and local
officials, as well as observers and representatives from both
major parties.
“We have seen a substantial increase in voters participating in
the democratic process over the last 40 days, and so we must
also be prepared to take the time to follow our election process
and have confidence that every eligible vote has been received
and counted,” said Rebeka Islam, APIA Vote-Michigan
executive director. “No matter the outcome in this election, the
ability for more voters to participate in this election through
expanded access to early voting, same-day registration, and
in-person voting without fear of obstruction or intimidation is
a victory we can all take pride in.”
The coalition thanks Michigan voters again for enabling
historically high voter turnout through the passage of
Proposal 3 in 2018. This made the ballot the most accessible
it has ever been in Michigan by providing new opportunities to
vote by no-reason absentee ballot and same-day voter
registration. We are especially grateful to our election
officials, poll workers, and volunteers who worked tirelessly to
ensure that voting in Michigan was safe, fair, and accessible.
In many cases, these frontline workers of our democracy worked
late into the night and got up early this morning to make sure
that every eligible vote is counted.
As in every election, official vote numbers are not validated
until every vote from each precinct has been counted, including
mail-in, military, and provisional ballots. Though media outlets
may report projected results, the actual count is always
expected to take days to complete and weeks to certify, allowing
local officials to ensure that all procedures are followed to
legally validate every vote cast.
The
MichiganVoting.org Coalition
is a statewide, nonpartisan outreach program made up of more
than 100 partners and organizations, which aims to expand access
to voting among historically disenfranchised communities. Among
their education and outreach efforts for the 2020 general
election is the ‘40 Days of Early Voting’ campaign, which
contributed to more Michiganders voting by mail this year than
ever before. Michigan’s rate of voters successfully submitting
their absentee ballots has been one of the highest in the
country for the 2020 general election.
EDITOR’S NOTE: About the ACLU of Michigan
The American Civil Liberties Union
of Michigan is a
nonpartisan nonprofit that is leading the fight to defend and
preserve the rights our Constitution and laws guarantee all
people. Its mission remains realizing the promise of the Bill
of Rights for all and expanding the reach of its guarantees
to new areas through public education, advocacy, organizing, and
litigation. To learn more, visit
www.aclumich.org |
