As each of us wrestle with our own anxieties and fears about the health and well-being of family and friends in this unsettling time, we are reminded of how closely connected we are to one another through our immediate communities and across the globe. We also recognize that in times of emergency, many people on the edges of society are often left behind.
Each of us who are able must remain vigilant advocates to defend your civil rights and liberties and adapt to fighting from home. Here are a few ways to do just that:
Update your voter registration
In Michigan, voters can register to vote and update their voter information and address online here.
Fill out your absentee ballot application
Thanks to you the voter passing Proposal 3 in 2018, all Michigand voters have the right to vote absentee, by mail or in-person, no reason needed!
Complete your absentee application
Fill out your census
Participation in the Census by everybody makes for a healthier democracy. If people are not counted, their communities will receive less representation in government and fewer resources.
Census data informs our nation’s most important decisions, including how the federal government spends $900 billion on critical services like building roads, providing for health insurance, and supporting education.
Email your elected officials
Hold your elected officials in Michigan accountable! Send a clear message to them that you are their voting constituent who is watching what actions they take or don't take. Here are the messages you can send now:
Tell ICE to release people from detention and stop the spread of COVID-19
TELL GOVERNOR WHITMER TO RELEASE VULNERABLE PEOPLE FROM PRISONS AND STOP COVID-19
Tell Michigan House Reps to Oppose the Dangerous Abortion Bans now
Sign up for our Smart Justice Day of Action on May 27
Join the ACLU of Michigan online for our Smart Justice Day of Action: Uniting for Pretrial Reform on Wednesday, May 27th.
A founding principal of our country's legal system is that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Yet, everyday Michiganders, who have not been convicted of a crime, are sitting in jail awaiting their day in court. This does not make our communities safer, disproportionately impacts the poor and communities of color, wastes tax dollars, and is a key driver of mass incarceration. To make Michigan an equitable and just state for all, we must overhaul our pretrial system.
Our Smart Justice Day of Action will bring our communities together in uniting for pretrial reform. You will learn more about the work that's being done, and how you can help overhaul our pretrial system.
Join the ACLU of Michigan call team
In the next few weeks we will have volunteers calling Michigan voters to encourage them to complete an absentee ballot application and sign up for the permanent absentee voter list.
Set up phone calls or video chats with folks in your community to check in
Right now, everyone is sequestered to their houses, but that doesn’t mean planning for the future is out of the question. Set up a time to chat with your friends, neighbors, or colleagues to check in, or make a plan for when it is safer to congregate publicly to tackle your plans for advocacy.
Get your family involved when possible
We know that advocacy comes in all forms for nearly any age. Whatever work you do, be sure to get your family involved – even the little ones! Check out our ACLU coloring pages below that can be printed off on demand. They’re perfect décor for your fridge or home office.
Once colored in, post a photo and tag our Facebook page and encourage your friends to do the same!
We'll get through this, Michigan. Be safe, be well, be kind.
