Michigan Voting Rights Group Urges Legislature to Protect Elections as Critical Infrastructure
View a PDF of the press release here.
Cuts to election funding in the initial proposed House budget threaten the right of all eligible Michiganders to make their voices heard at the ballot box
LANSING - As lawmakers finalize Michigan’s state budget, Promote The Vote urges them to fully fund our elections and support Michiganders in continuing to make Michigan a voting rights leader. The initial state House proposed budget made deep cuts to the Michigan Department of State and election administration.
“The cuts proposed in the initial House budget threaten Michigan’s ability to run accessible, secure, and efficient elections,” said Melanie Macey, policy and government affairs director for Promote The Vote. “They weaken election infrastructure and voter confidence, shift costs onto local governments, and would ultimately result in higher long-term costs. The cuts would reduce early voting and Election Day support, damage election officials’ ability to provide required services, weaken voter roll maintenance and cybersecurity, and would have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable voters. Promote the Vote applauds the legislature for working together, and as lawmakers finalize the state budget, we urge them to protect the integrity and accessibility of our elections by providing adequate funding.”
“Michigan voters have consistently – and overwhelmingly – supported expanding voting rights and have taken advantage of those new rights in record numbers,” said Micheal Davis, Jr., executive director of Promote The Vote. “Cutting funding would mean overwhelmed election officials, longer lines for voters, more potential for errors and disruption, and fewer Michigan voters able to make their voices heard. Michigan lawmakers must reject these harmful proposed cuts–which threaten the integrity and accessibility of our elections–and ensure stable, full funding for election administration. We can’t afford to shortchange our democracy.
What’s slashed from the initial proposed House budget for the Michigan Department of State:
$69.3 million overall cut to MDOS (23.8%), including elimination of 240 staff positions (14.7% of workforce).
$24.2 million of staff position cuts tied to “unfilled FTEs (Full-Time Employees),” eliminating staff capacity that MDOS relies on for elections and branch services.
$10.5 million removed from the Election Administration Support Fund, shifting responsibility to Treasury with no clear guarantee of timely, adequate, or flexible support for clerks running early voting and absentee voting.
$23 million “administrative efficiency reduction,” a blunt 10% cut with no explanation of how–or whether–elections will be shielded from the impact.
Boilerplate restrictions on ERIC participation in ERIC (the bipartisan multi-state system used to identify relocated, deceased, duplicate, and outdated registrations) — limiting Michigan’s ability to share voter registration data across states to maintain accurate voter rolls.
To protect Michigan voters and preserve trust in our elections, Michigan representatives must reject proposed harmful cuts and ensure stable, adequate funding for election administration.
Demand stable base funding for elections instead of one-time fixes, so clerks can plan for training, staffing, and equipment maintenance and purchase.
Ensure $10.5M Election Administration Support Fund provides responsive and direct grants to clerks.
Reject the “unfilled FTE” and across-the-board efficiency cuts that indiscriminately weaken MDOS.
Protect Michigan’s ability to participate in ERIC or similar programs to ensure accurate voter rolls.
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Promote the Vote is a coalition of partner organizations committed to ensuring that Michigan’s voting system works for all. These partner organizations share a rich history and deep investment in preserving and advancing the rights and protections of marginalized communities and Michigan voters.
