Demand that these corporations take the Defend MI Vote pledge and stop bankrolling politicians who support voter suppression.

 

John,

Last year, the Michigan state legislature passed voter suppression bills aimed at decreasing Black voter turnout and robbing our communities of the chance to make our political voices heard.1 While Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer intervened and vetoed these anti-voter bills, an extremist initiative—known as “Secure MI Vote”—submitted a petition last month to override this executive decision and codify voter suppression into law.2 Now, Black Michiganders could soon encounter stricter voter identification requirements that would make in-person and absentee voting extremely difficult. 

In 2021, General Motors (GM) CEO Mary Barra once called the right to vote “the most precious element of a democracy.”3 But more recent estimates indicate that GM and Ford have contributed nearly $444,000 combined to the lawmakers behind the Secure MI Vote initiative and other voter suppression efforts.4 So, John, it’s clear that these corporations are playing both sides and giving a well-funded pass to extremist politicians intent on undermining our voting rights.

We cannot allow these corporations to sponsor attacks on Black Michiganders! Support Color Of Change and Community Change Action’s campaign to #DefendBlackVoters.

 DEMAND THAT GENERAL MOTORS & FORD STOP BANKROLLING THE ATTACK ON OUR VOTING RIGHTS! 

But, John, this isn’t just a Michigan problem. Nine of the past 11 presidential elections, going back to 1980, have spurred voter suppression efforts as extreme as that of Michigan. And if we don’t send a message to corporations and right-wing conservatives that we will defend Black voters no matter what, decades of progress on voting rights in Michigan and across the country could be soon rolled back—to the detriment of our communities and our democracy. 

Voter suppression laws have grave consequences. Strict voter ID requirements reduce Black voter turnout, as Black and low-income folks are less likely to have access to a photo ID and more likely to be carded at the polls.5 What this means, John, is that Black people are denied the opportunity to not only participate in the democratic process but win political outcomes that would drastically improve our lives, like: 

  • The election of state’s attorneys who would prosecute abusive police officers. 
  • The passage of statewide ballot initiatives that would increase public school funding. 
  • The election of state lawmakers who would fight for the expansion of direct cash relief. 

Ultimately, the attack on voting rights is an attack on our livelihoods. It’s time that General Motors and Ford stop bankrolling anti-voter lawmakers and groups!

TAKE ACTION

Until justice is real,

The Color Of Change Team 

References: 

  1. “Summary of Bills that Restrict Voting Rights and Harm Elections,” State of Michigan Secretary of State, April 21, 2021, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/358113?t=9&akid=53467%2E4731121%2EiK3iBk. 
  2. Alyssa Burr, “Michigan voter ID initiative submits 500k signatures too late for election,” M Live, July 29, 2022, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/358462?t=11&akid=53467%2E4731121%2EiK3iBk. 
  3. “Michigan companies can’t say that Black Lives Matter and then support an attack on Black voters,” Defend Black Voters Coalition, (n.d.), www.defendblackvoters.org. 
  4.  “Core Targets,” Community Change Action, (n.d.), https://act.colorofchange.org/go/358114?t=14&akid=53467%2E4731121%2EiK3iBk; Judd Legum, Tesnim Zekeria, and Rebecca Crosby, “GM said it was a champion for voting rights, sent 125k to GOP group pushing voter suppression,” Popular Information, August 5, 2021, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/358115?t=16&akid=53467%2E4731121%2EiK3iBk. 
  5. Forrest Wickman, “Why do many minorities lack ID?” Slate, August 21, 2022, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/358119?t=18&akid=53467%2E4731121%2EiK3iBk.