Amid A National Leadership Vacuum, Plan Out Your Safe Voting Strategy

Our representative government is based on voter participation.

You’d think in a democratically elected government, the easiest decision Congress or the President could make is to support and protect the integrity of an election. But these are not ordinary times. We have never seen a leadership vacuum from the presidency, and the failure to check his powers by the Senate, like we’re witnessing today.

Ironically, the lack of national strategy to combat COVID-19 and this prolonged crisis is also challenging the mechanism for the people to hold leadership accountable. For many, November will bring the third election amid a pandemic since March. While the August primary provided a good test run with record turnout, election experts expect turnout to double or triple in November. Voting is now a pressing public health and social justice issue.

Given the misinformation from the White House regarding absentee voting, it’s very clear, it’s up to us at the state and local level to safeguard our elections and the well-being of voters amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

So that’s why I’ve joined Vote Safe Michigan to help raise awareness and advocate for increased safe voting options. This bipartisan coalition has the support of City Clerk Chris Swope and County Clerk Barb Byrum. Both took steps to ensure safe, secure elections in August and are ramping up those efforts for November.

Clerk Swope, for instance, installed 13 new ballot drop boxes for Lansing voters at community centers, fire stations, and the downtown CATA terminal. I encourage voters who can to use those. It will help reduce lines and limit in-person contact with voters and election workers. It will also reduce the strain on Election Day freeing up workers to ensure things run smoothly for those who decide to vote in person.

Those efforts have been complemented at the state level. The Secretary of State and Governor worked with lawmakers on legislative changes that can help ensure a secure, efficient election that also prioritizes safety. This includes allowing election workers to process (not count) absentee ballots early by opening and unfolding them which will give election workers a leg up on the flood of ballots coming.

As our state and local officials take steps to protect this election, so too can voters by developing their voting plan now. Thanks to Proposal 3, which passed with overwhelming support in 2018, voters in Michigan can vote by absentee with no reason. You can also register to vote on Election Day and still cast a ballot that day. It’s in our state constitution.

If you’d like to vote absentee, request an application from Clerk Byrum or Swope. Complete it early and drop it off at the ballot drop off box near you. That guarantees your voice is heard and elected officials are held accountable, even amid a pandemic.

It’s also another step we can take to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, just like masking up. After all, everyone has been impacted by COVID-19. Whether it be loss of a job or business, a challenging return to school, or the tragic loss of a loved one, our lives are much different than in February.

Let’s not let our right to vote safely also be compromised.