DETROIT – In an effort to combat voter confusion, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan launched its Let Me Vote Campaign today designed to supply voters with the voting rights knowledge they need to cast their ballot on Election Day. Campaign materials are available at www.aclumich.org/letmevote.
“There is no more important right in our democracy than the right to vote,” said Michael J. Steinberg, ACLU of Michigan legal director. “Unfortunately, those who seek to suppress the vote have erected obstacles that make it more difficult to vote – especially for people of color, students and the elderly. The ACLU designed this campaign to give Michiganders the tools and tips they need to ensure that they will be able to cast their ballot in November and determine the future of this country.”
The campaign is part of a national ACLU effort to ensure every eligible person can vote and every vote counts. The campaign includes the following tools:
- Downloadable Know Your Rights cards. The card includes all the information needed to vote in Michigan, including how people without photo identification may vote.
- A how-to website, Student Voting Made Easy to show college students how to register and to help them decide whether to vote in their hometown or college town. The ACLU of Michigan developed the website, in part, to address the student confusion caused by a Michigan law that requires college students from Michigan who want to vote in Michigan to have the same address on their voter registration card as on their driver’s license.
- Let Me Vote public service announcements in English and Spanish providing voters quick tips for registration and the polls.
The ACLU of Michigan and more than a dozen coalition partners will be distributing 40,000 Know Your Rights cards to eligible voters throughout the state. In 2008, the ACLU and partners distributed 20,000 cards.
Voters can also call the non-partisan Election Protection Hotline – 866-OUR-VOTE – to get more information about their rights or to report problems.