“To petition the government for a redress of grievances,” The 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states.
In America, the right to vote has a long and tormented history. In a country celebrated for its freedoms, the right to vote has been attacked, in one form or another, for centuries. Groups were told they couldn’t vote. This included Blacks, Women, Native Americans and young people. Only white males could vote. Sadly, these attacks still exist today.
Now there’s another threat to this cherished American freedom. Petitions are being circulated claiming to make voting easier. These are flat out lies. Their real goal is preventing as many people as possible from voting. The most diabolical thing is they want you to take away your own rights.
There are two petitions. You’re urged to decline to sign them. Americans for Citizen Voting and the Committee to Protect Voter Rights. As of this date, the petitions aren’t out yet. When they are, look out for the following. The Americans for Citizen Voting petition may go by “Only Citizens Vote.” and Committee to Protect Voter Rights may go by “Prove It Michigan.”Anything saying citizen led voting is a voter suppression petition.
Do Not sign these petitions. Urge others not to sign them either. Were the Americans for Citizen Voting petition to pass, you would be forced to do the following.
• Require expensive and hard-to-obtain documents (e.g., birth certificates, passports) to register and vote
• Eliminate the affidavit option for voters without ID
• Require a photo ID plus part of your Social Security Number for absentee ballots
• Authorize the Secretary of State to reverify citizenship
• Allow the removal of eligible voters from the rolls over paperwork
• Count only “verified” ballots, potentially discarding valid votes
• Impose up to $1,000 in civil fines and five years in prison for “non-compliant” voters or election workers
Worse yet, it would become part of Michigan’s constitution.
Do you want give part of your Social Security number to someone just for an absentee ballot? Do you want the Michigan’s Secretary of State to reverify you’re a citizen? What is a ‘verified ballot?” Non compliant may mean if you disagree with Trump’s rules, you could go to jail.
Don’t want to do this? Then don’t sign the petitions.
That means homeless voters, “voters who’ve changed their names; those who’ve done time but have no paperwork and voters who simply can’t afford the cost” couldn’t be able to vote. If you’ve just moved, you can’t vote because your new address won’t match the old one on record. Any of these categories puts your vote in jeopardy.
How much for a passport? Glad you asked. You’ll pay anywhere from $130 to $246.00. Can’t provide proof of citizenship? That will cost you another $150. Add the 4-6 week waiting period-or longer. You now see how hard it is to just register to vote.
These petitions also attack women. It could be called a ‘pink poll tax’ If you’re married and you changed your name, that’s a problem. Your name now doesn’t match the name on your birth certificate. Providing a BC or passport is required. If you can’t find one or don’t have the other, your vote could be rejected.
Over two million Michigan women voters will be affected. Are you one of them?
Trumpublicans falsely claim this makes voting easier. Is getting your BC easier? Does spending hundreds of dollars for a passport sound easy-or cheap? Does going to court to prove you’re still the same person before you got married sound easy? Obviously not.
The GOP wants to stop people from voting. They have engaged in voter suppression, gerrymandering and claiming imaginary fraud for years. They’re actively taking away your right to vote and then blaming others for it. If you sign the petitions, you’re signing away your right to vote as well as your children’s. It won’t secure your vote, it’ll take it away. Ignore any petition that says its citizen led.
Republicans fear you. That’s why they’re doing this. Michigan’s Constitution already guarantees strong voting rights, passed by the people in 2018 & 2022. This initiative gets rid of these protections, hitting returning citizens, low-income communities, seniors, people with disabilities, and first-time voters.
Finally, if you think these petitions don’t apply to you, guess again. Even if you’ve been voting for years, you could be kicked off the voter rolls and told to register with either document. These evil petitions affect everyone, don’t sign them.
Your vote is your voice. Don’t let them silence your voice. Don’t let them steal your vote. Use it or lose it!
Southgate resident Allan Bieniek’s writings have appeared in several publications, including The New York Times and the Harvard International Review.
