Today, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) sent a letter to the Michigan Board of State Canvassers urging them to reject the proposed summary of purpose for the “Secure MI Vote” initiative petition. The proposed summary, as published on September 2 2021 on the Board of State Canvassers website, erroneously suggests that the measures Secure MI Vote proposes would “protect the right to vote,” “increase participation,” “increase confidence in the conduct of elections,” or “protect election integrity.” These claims are misleading and deceptive, and their language appears designed to prejudice Michigan voters. Secure MI Vote’s proposed measures would burden, abridge, and potentially deny that fundamental right for all Michiganders, and particularly for Black voters. The proposed initiative’s Voter ID measures would impose significant barriers to the franchise, would disproportionately impact Black and low-income voters. LDF urges the Board of Canvassers to reject the proposed summary of purpose, and to ensure that any future summary is accurate, impartial, and nonprejudicial.
Read the full letter here.
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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization. LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF.
