Chicago Lawyers’ Committee alongside United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations (UCCRO), recently submitted testimony in support of the Michigan Voting Rights Act (MIVRA). This groundbreaking legislation aims to expand voting protections for marginalized communities across Michigan, therefore strengthening our democracy.
Because federal voting rights protections have been weakened in recent years, state-level reforms like the MIVRA are urgently needed. The MIVRA would protect against vote dilution and voter suppression, expand language access for voters whose first language is not English, and establish protections for voters with disabilities. It also addresses discriminatory practices like redistricting that dilute the voting power of communities of color.
Michigan has the opportunity to lead the Midwest in enacting comprehensive state-level voting rights protections. The MIVRA package would join successful laws already enacted in states like Virginia, New York, Connecticut, California, Washington, and Oregon.