FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from All Voting is Local & Promote the Vote
November 4, 2022
Contact: Sam Inglot, sam@progressmichigan.org
Voting Rights Advocates Call Out Efforts to Disenfranchise Voters with Bogus ‘Challenges’
Voter protection efforts being mobilized across the state to count every vote
MICHIGAN – Recent reports indicate that an election denier group called Election Integrity Force (EIF) is using a highly-suspect list of data to challenge the eligibility of tens of thousands of Michigan voters, potentially disenfranchising voters and creating chaos in the election process. Today, voting rights advocates at Promote the Vote and All Voting is Local spoke out at a press briefing about this effort and reaffirmed to voters that organizations across Michigan were ready to assist them with ensuring their vote was counted.
“While election officials are working hard to administer this election and voters are working hard to perform their civic duty to vote, election deniers are busy trying to create chaos, push unfounded conspiracy theories and, ultimately, disenfranchise voters,” said Khalilah Spencer, president of Promote the Vote. “To the voters of Michigan, local community groups will be on hand on Election Day to report and respond to any attempt to interfere with your voting rights, just as we have done for years and years.”
Apart from the recent report about their Election Day activities, EIF has a history of seeking to disrupt elections including being vocal proponents of election conspiracy theories and calls to overturn the results of the 2020 election. In 2021, the organization went door-to-door challenging voter eligibility in Michigan, an effort that some clerks at the time slammed as voter intimidation and harassment.
Earlier this year, just before the August primary, they sent huge lists of voter eligibility challenges to local clerks, prompting the Bureau of Elections to send a letter to clerks highlighting the unlawful nature of the action.
“There are ongoing efforts to create chaos and a pretext to delay or challenge the certification of Michigan’s 2022 election. However, we strongly believe that Michiganians will come together and ensure every vote is counted and ensure it is truly the voters of Michigan who decide the outcome of the election.” said Aghogho Edevbie, Michigan state director of All Voting is Local speaking to the recent reports about EIF’s plans for Election Day. “To describe the challenges made by EIF prior to the primary election as indiscriminate and without good cause would be generous. These illegitimate challenges failed to comply with Michigan election law both as to how they were made and the basis on which they sought to challenge the voter registration of citizens of this state.”
If voters have questions or problems when voting, they should ask an election inspector for assistance, reach out to their clerk, or call or text the nonpartisan election protection hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE / 866-687-8683.
For a recording of the press briefing, please email: sam@progressmichigan.org
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