DETROIT – Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey and several mayors from across the state were in Lansing Tuesday voicing opposition to election bills proposed by Michigan Republicans.
“There’s no way in hell we will stand by and allow these bills to be passed,” said Winfrey.
On the steps of the State Capitol elected officials denounced a group of GOP sponsored election bills.
READ MORE: Michigan election officials blast GOP voting bills as voter suppression
“I am the mayor of Eastpointe and I was elected the first African American mayor there in 2019, and laws like this would have stopped me from being here today,” said Eastpointe Mayor Monique Owens.
Democrats as well as dozens of corporate leaders across Michigan say the bills amount to voter suppression.
“This 39 bills package is un-American and laced with racism,” said Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley.
Marshall Bullock, Democratic member of the Michigan Senate also commented on the bills.
“This assault is an assault on our values and senses. An attempt to suppress the vote and change the will of the people by oppression through legislation,” he said.
The communications director for the Michigan Republican Party accused Democrats of playing the ‘race card’.
“We all oppose efforts to suppress the vote. That’s not what’s happening here, the efforts we are trying to implement make it easier to vote and harder to cheat,” said Ted Goodman, communications director for the Michigan Republican Party.
Evans also spoke about the bills saying, “I more concerned with outing the motivation for doing it because they’re being disingenuous. If it’s about making elections safer, what is important now that wasn’t important last year? I’ll tell you what, losing an election,” said Evans.
It’s likely the bills will pass as the GOP controls the legislature. In an interview with the Washington Post Monday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said if the bills come across her desk, she will veto them.
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