By Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Guest Contributor
Over the past eight years, I’ve had the chance to travel to every county in Michigan and meet people from all walks of life. I’ve heard what people are excited about and what they want to see changed. I’ve met people who agree with me and plenty who don’t. We don’t all have to agree. But everyone should have the same opportunity to be heard, and this November, you can.
If you’re eligible to vote, you have a say in what happens in your community, who represents you, and the direction you want our state to go. That is the most powerful thing about our democracy.
I’m proud of the work we’ve done to protect free and fair elections. We’ve expanded opportunities to register to vote, made it easier for Michiganders serving overseas and their families to participate, and given local clerks more time to process absentee ballots. We’ve invested in election security, cybersecurity, and modern voting equipment. And we’ve protected the clerks and poll workers who make our elections possible.
Steps like this matter because everyone should be able to cast their ballot with full confidence. Protecting the right to vote is an ongoing fight, and right now, we’re seeing efforts at the federal level that threaten to make it harder for Americans to participate in our democracy.
The current administration has sown confusion about our elections, made irresponsible claims about mail-in-voting, and pushed to use unreliable tools to check voters’ citizenship. When eligible voters are at risk of being wrongly flagged or targeted, it undermines the very confidence our elections depend on. We should be making it easier to vote, not creating new hurdles or giving people reasons to question whether their participation is welcome. Every eligible voter deserves a chance to make their voice heard, and we cannot take that right for granted.
I know voting can feel like just another thing you have to do on a very long list. We’ve all got work, kids, bills, and about a million other things going on. But voting is the best way we get to decide what comes next. So, on or before November 3rd, I encourage everyone to get out to the polls and cast your ballot. Vote for the person you believe will do the best job. Vote for the issues that matter to you. And encourage someone else to do the same. You have the power to shape Michigan’s future. That’s something worth celebrating and fighting for.