To the Journal editor:

Citizen-initiated law changes via ballot petition drives are important ways to improve our democracy and solve societal problems when our fractured government in Lansing fails.

I recommend the nonpartisan Promote the Vote 2022 citizens constitutional ballot initiative because it makes common-sense improvements–improvements that increase access for all voters — regardless of political persuasion — and solve thorny issues of election security.

Promote the Vote 2022 builds upon the popular election access improvements made by the first Promote the Vote of 2018 — known as ballot Proposal 3 — which Michigan voters overwhelmingly voted for by 67% and by even greater percentages in the Upper Peninsula.

Promote the Vote 2022 improves security and access by officially allowing hard-working and busy voters 9 days of convenient and secure early in-person voting and by improving the use of drop boxes and absentee ballots.

This proposal also promotes election security by banning voter intimidation and harassment and reducing the influence of political parties in the post-election certification audit process. Under the proposal, any contributions to election clerks to help with elections must be publicly disclosed.

Please consider signing the Promote the Vote 2022 petition when it comes your way by a U.P. volunteer of the Voters Not Politicians or the League of Women Voters, which are the two of the nonpartisan partners sponsoring this important proposal.

We need more than 425,000 signatures statewide to get the measure on the ballot in November for all voters to consider.

This proposal will amend the Michigan constitution which will enshrine these rights and protections into the bedrock of the constitution so that no future legislative action in Lansing can infringe on these rights and protections.

To learn more about Promote the Vote 2022 contact promotethevote2022.com/ or votersnotpoliticians.com.