I took an amazing trip down memory lane this morning, watching this historic moment – random selection of 200 semi-finalists who will #ShapeMIFuture. ⬇️(1/6)
3 years ago in June ‘17, almost to the day, a policy committee of @NotPoliticians volunteers - a mix of regular Michiganders, small business owners, lawyers, students, retirees, millennials, a lactation consultant, scientist, librarian… (2/6)
Were wrestling with how to design a selection process that meets the unique needs of Michigan.
✅ No registration by political party
✅ No single government agency or official that everyone in the state trusted to select the independent #redistricting commission (3/6)
Other states have political appointees, or a commission of politicians – Michigan needed a fiercely independent citizens commission protected from politicians & political parties who had been manipulating our maps for decades to rig our elections for their benefit. (4/6)
All of this made Michigan one of the most gerrymandered states in the country. (5/6)
Policy volunteers considered dozens of different options over months, consulted community groups, national experts, & dedicated tens of thousands of hours.
The selection process playing out now was in the truest sense, designed by, for, & of Michiganders. ❤️️ #fairmaps (6/6)
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As Exec. Dir. of Voters @NotPoliticians - the group that ran an all volunteer petition signature drive in 2018 to end gerrymandering, we know a thing or two about signature gathering. Today’s Unlock MIchigan petition drop-off is troubling in a number of ways.
A thread …. 1/
@NotPoliticians Video and tape recordings show Unlock Michigan willing to lie and cheat to get a MI law passed without your approval. Signers told the proposal would go on the ballot, but it’s understood that #mileg will take it up & likely pass it without the public’s or governor’s approval. 2/
@NotPoliticians Video also shows a signer being told that she can sign for her husband who was not there, which is illegal. 3/
@MIGOP@MI_Republicans Rep. Bollin is ignoring two huge realities: (1) All Michigan voters have the constitutional right to vote by mail; and (2) #COVID19 is spread through person to person contact and kills people. (2/12) #VoteSafe
@MIGOP@MI_Republicans The impact of #COVID19 in MI is not theoretical; we just went through a terrible period when # of deaths were in the top 3 in the country and cases continue to rise, including rural areas like #Livingston County shown here (3/12) ⬇️
We don’t know where we will be in August when it comes to the public health response to the #COVID pandemic. What we do know is our elected leaders can take action now to ensure that no voter is denied their right to have their voices heard. #VoterSuppressionInGeorgia#mileg
Study after study has shown that a supermajority of voters across the political spectrum support vote at home reforms, particularly in response to the #coronavirus pandemic. #VoterSuppressionInGeorgia#VoteSafe
FACT: The cost of mailing absentee ballot applications is coming out of CARES money that the state is required to use in response to #COVID19, NOT Michigan tax dollars. There is no $4.5 million cost on taxpayers. (2/11)
YES, @MichSoS is making voting easier and more accessible through the mailing of absentee ballot applications, that’s the right thing to do during the #COVID19 pandemic and frankly, shouldn’t be controversial in normal times. (3/11)