To: Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Gov. Snyder: Protect Michigan elections, Veto SB 13
Laura Packard
This campaign has ended.
Veto Senate Bill 13. This bill will remove straight ticket voting, making it so there will be much longer lines at polling places on major elections and disenfranchise Michigan voters.
Why is this important?
UPDATE 1/19/16:
A couple weeks ago, Governor Snyder signed SB 13 into law (and also SB 571, which allows more dark money into Michigan elections). SB 13 removed straight ticket voting, so there will be much longer lines at crowded polling places on major elections. His comment during the bill signing was "To alleviate concerns that this change could lead to longer wait times for voters, I'm asking the Legislature to enact secured no-reason absentee voting." Since the Senate specifically refused a companion bill that would have expanded absentee voting, and forced the House to go along with it in a late night of sausage-making in Lansing, this seems unlikely (to put it mildly). Another black eye for Michigan.
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This idea has been proposed before in Michigan and rejected by a vote of the people. But this time, the legislature has added an appropriation so it can't be overturned at the ballot box.
It's opposed by local clerks and election officials from around the state, because they recognize -- both Democrats and Republicans -- that this will hurt Michigan voters. The legislature didn't listen, and now Governor Snyder is our last chance.
The bill passed the Senate and the House late Wednesday night, and is on its way to Governor Snyder. He has not said yet whether he will veto it or sign it into law. Tell Snyder we want solutions that will help people to vote (such as no reason absentee, early voting, same day registration), NOT disenfranchise Michigan voters.
More about the bill: http://michiganradio.org/post/local-clerks-blast-bill-eliminate-straight-ticket-voting-michigan