Progressives across the country are stepping up to support Democratic candidates at a record rate this cycle. But on Nov. 6, we have a chance to do more than just replace Republicans; in fact, in two key states, we can protect democracy in ways that will have lasting positive repercussions.
In Michigan, Propositions 2 and 3 aim to end partisan gerrymandering and dramatically expand access to the ballot box, respectively. In Florida, Amendment 4 would restore voting rights to over 1.4 million people who have been convicted of felonies and completed all the terms of their sentences.
In the interest of improving democracy and promoting and expanding the franchise, Daily Kos is pleased to endorse these ballot measures.
Michigan’s Proposition 2 seeks to fix the state’s ultra-partisan redistricting process by establishing a bipartisan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (ICRC) made up of four Republicans, four Democrats, and five voters affiliated with neither party. Elected officials, consultants, and lobbyists are ineligible to serve on the ICRC, and all of the commission’s meetings will be conducted as public hearings, with all maps and supporting data made accessible as public reports. The proposition also sets forth a set of standards that must be used to draw congressional and state legislative maps, which include not favoring or disfavoring any elected official or candidate and not giving disproportionate advantage to any political party.
Why are these standards important? Because the GOP’s partisan gerrymandering has subverted democracy in Michigan in every election since the new maps were drawn in 2011. In 2012, 2014, and 2016, Democratic state House candidates received more votes statewide than Republicans—yet they remained the minority party in the chamber after each election.
In 2016, Democratic and Republican U.S. House candidates received approximately the same number of votes statewide. But because of Republicans’ nefariously drawn maps, Republicans won nine of the state’s 14 congressional districts—64 percent of those seats.
Proposition 3 will dramatically expand and protect voting rights in Michigan. It will restore straight-ticket voting (Republicans killed it in 2015, ending a practice that had existed in the state since 1891), automatically register voters, extend the voter registration deadline, and establish no-excuse absentee voting. Michigan currently is among the states that make it hardest to vote; if Proposition 3 passes, it would immediately become one of the states where it’s easiest to vote.
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