Senate Bill No. 404 also allows for the provision of food, beverages, and other comfort items like hot hands in the winter—could be cold in November—or cooling items in the summer—as we all know, it can be ridiculously hot here in Michigan—for people waiting in line to vote as permitted by the election officials. It would not permit electioneering inside the polling location or within that 100 feet, which is already the law. The freedom and right to vote should not be abridged or denied to those who want to exercise their enfranchisement. Every voter in our state should be able to safely and confidently exercise their fundamental right to vote, and we all deserve access to a welcoming democratic process without fear of intimidation or discrimination in any form.
With the passage of this bill package, Michigan will be one step closer to achieving that reality and I urge a “yes” vote on this package which bends the moral arc of the universe further toward justice.
Senator Moss’ statement is as follows:
About a decade ago, the U.S. Supreme Court gutted key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and as we all know, the current composition of the Supreme Court clearly feels compelled to further erode our longstanding laws, precedents, and norms. In the last several years here in Michigan, election deniers have promoted conspiracies targeting communities of color and have pushed for policies here that would restrict voting access. These ongoing threats, both federally and here at home, must compel action from our Legislature to safeguard the fundamental right to vote, free from discrimination and intimidation.
The Senate Elections and Ethics Committee that I chair has worked hard to restore honesty, truth, and data when hearing voting-related legislation. Last year, we uplifted the clerk community which faced relentless unjustified attacks and we leaned into their expertise to meet the deadline to implement Proposal 2 and expand voting options here in Michigan, including nine days of early voting. Now our committee is listening to a diverse array of constituency groups that have faced historic barriers to voting. Our committee heard exhaustive testimony about the need to secure access to the ballot box for all qualified voters.
After working intently with voting rights advocates and election administrators, I’m proud that we now have before us this comprehensive Michigan Voting Rights Act for consideration. We did not take this task lightly, and the Senator from Downriver led us on this project to ensure that neighborhood, language, and mobility are not used as factors to deny someone their voting rights. I’m especially pleased that my bill establishes the Michigan Voting Institute and Elections Database to increase transparency, centralize and make more convenient accessing publicly-available elections data, and provide nonpartisan technical assistance and research for all Michigan elections at all levels. This will help future Legislatures be even more responsive to assess the need to improve voting access.
Ultimately, if we want our election results to be the most accurate reflection of the will of Michigan voters, we have to reduce the barriers so that all legal voters have the same path to participate. Our Senate majority is taking the critical steps to make certain that every vote is counted and every voice is heard through our safe and secure elections process. I want to thank the dozens of officials and organizations, the Secretary of State and her team, my fellow bill sponsors, our dedicated staff, and many more for putting in countless hours to get us here. I urge a “yes” vote on all four bills in this package.
The following bill was read a third time:
Senate Bill No. 402, entitled
A bill to create a voting and elections database and institute; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state and local governmental officers and entities; and to provide remedies.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows: