Opinion: How a statewide coalition is safeguarding Michigan’s vote

By Jessica Ayoub

During my nine years with the ACLU of Michigan, I have spent the majority of my time working on our election protection program. Given that perspective, with Election Day almost upon us, I can say with great confidence that we and our allies have never been more prepared to play our collective role in guaranteeing that Michigan’s elections remain fair, and the outcome can be trusted.

With more than 100 pro-voter organizations across the state banding together to provide oversight and assistance, the aim of Michigan’s Election Protection Program (EPP) is to ensure every eligible Michigander knows their voting rights and can cast their ballot free from barriers.

While we continue to do this vital work, we have also created plans and put procedures in place to deal with any potential threat to our elections. 

We. Are. Ready.  

That’s because our work didn’t start this election. We have been building our expertise through many election cycles and through the many challenges thrown our way most recently by those who cast doubt on our election process with false information in an attempt to undermine our democracy. But we want voters to know that we prepare long before a single ballot is cast. In fact, we began putting plans in place for this election about 18 months ago.  

One of the foundational pieces to our election protection and voting rights work has been cultivating relationships with the hundreds of local clerks across the state who carry out elections. We have organizers and volunteers on the ground working with clerks to find out what they need and how we can help make the election process go as smoothly as possible.  

It is our trusted election clerks, their staff, and members of the community who serve as poll workers that ensure our elections are safe and secure, that every vote is counted, and that the results are accurate.  

Promoting Public Oversight

Another critical component of our work is recruiting nonpartisan challengers to observe the elections process at polling places, early voting sites, and absent voter counting boards across the state. They are our eyes and ears on the ground. Our pro-voter challengers make sure eligible voters can cast their ballots free from interference and voter intimidation, and troubleshoot issues directly with designated election workers on site.  

We also do intensive recruitment for nonpartisan election protection hotline, 866-OUR-VOTE. The hotline is staffed by attorneys and other legal professionals to answer voters’ questions or troubleshoot issues raised by voters, our nonpartisan challengers, or election workers. Leading up to and on the day of the primary, the hotline received about 400 calls. Fortunately, none of those calls were about major disruptions at the polls or other major concerns. 

We’re also working to ensure that any voter whose ballot has been rejected for a fixable issue, like a missing signature, can correct the problem in time for their vote to be counted. Through volunteer-led phone banking, we’re calling voters to remind them to fix the issue with their ballots—and to date, over 80 percent of voters we’ve talked to have plans to cure their ballot.  

While we anticipate that very many people will vote early in-person or via absentee ballot, we’re also preparing for the possibility that there could be long lines in parts of the state. Such lines are not uncommon, and mean our democracy is alive and well.

Beyond Election Day

It’s also important to note that our work doesn’t end when the polls close. We work closely with the League of Women Voters – a lead partner in the EPP – to ensure they have enough volunteers to monitor local Boards of County Canvassers as they tally the votes from each precinct, including absentee counts, and then certify the results.  (More info about participating in that program can be found here.)

The role of boards of county canvassers is not discretionary. Our state Constitution and Michigan election laws do not allow them to refuse to certify election results based on third party claims alleging election irregularities, or a general desire to conduct election investigations.  The law is clear that such issues can be raised through appropriate court proceedings in other ways, but have no place in our canvassing boards.  Canvassers double check the math, they do not police our elections. 

If any county canvass board does not follow the law, we have plans in place to address this immediately. Canvassers who defy the law also face potential criminal liability.  

As I said, our work is not done when the polls close November 3. We will not rest until January 3rd, when we expect the 120th U.S. Congress to be seated. Then, we will turn our attention to the 2028 elections. In fact, we have already started. That’s just how prepared we are.  

Jessica Ayoub is the deputy political director at the ACLU of Michigan