Voter Guide 2022 (Michigan Student Power Alliance)

WHO ARE WE?

Staff and student organizing fellows at the Michigan Student Power Alliance developed this voter guide with the intention of making electoral stakes accessible to student voters who value intersectional collective liberation and a change to systemic and institutional violence that harms marginalized communities, violates rights to safe and reliable healthcare, and upholds barriers to education for all.

The Michigan Student Power Alliance is a

nonprofit that provides paid

to emerging student organizers who contribute to radical change on Michigan campuses. Our guiding ideology is

socialism, which you can learn more about on our socials.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR VOTERS

REGISTRATION

Check your voter registration status at planmyballot.com.

October24 Deadline to postmark registration by mail.

November8th (in line by 8:00pm) Deadline to register in-person at local election office.

VOTINGBYMAIL

November4 Last day to request an absentee ballot in Michigan (four days before election).

November8 (before 4pm) Deadline to request an emergencyabsenteeballotif conditions make it impossible for you to be at the polls (and you missed the regular absentee ballot request deadline).

November8th (before 8:00pm) Deadline for your ballot tobereceivedin order to be counted in a Michigan election. You can sign up to track your ballot online on your Department of State website.

USEFUL WEBSITES WHEN VOTING

Check your voter registration status at planmyballot.com.

Register to vote online before October 24th on vote411.org.

Request your absentee ballot online on vote411.org.

Discover what's on your ballot this year at planmyballot.com

Locate your polling place, view a sample ballot, and track your ballot on the Michigan Department of State website.

ABSENTEE VOTING

WHY VOTE ABSENTEE?

Common reasons to vote absentee in an upcoming election include...

a) you don't want to go to the polls between now and Nov. 8, or

b) you want to vote from an address you live at that isn't at your school (like a home address that is in a different district or state).

Other considerations you can take into account when deciding whether to vote or not to vote absentee...

a) where do you most identify as your community?

b) are there local elections at home or at school that feel more important to you?

c) where do you think your vote will have most impact?

d) where do you pay taxes, and are you comfortable voting somewhere you do not pay taxes? or would you prefer to vote where you would be paying taxes on things like mileages?

Requestyourabsenteeballot onlineonvote411.org.

CANDIDATE REPORT CARD

What are they being graded on?

A B C D E

on a scale from A to E

Climate Change

A Supports environmental justice & the Green New Deal. Understands the disproportionate impact of severe climate change and pollution on communities of color. Uplifts the voices of those most impacted by climate disaster Supports climate education in schools and communities. Supports divestment from fossil fuels and extensive land clearing.

E Opposes the Green New Deal . Actively opposes and works against those advocating for divestment campaigns and climate education. Supports the continued use of fossil fuels and land clearing.

Education/Tuition

A Supports Free Higher Education for all Supports tuition freeze Supports student loan forgiveness for all students in debt and increased funding for k-12 public education

B Supports investing more funding in education

Supports decreased college tuition primarily for low-income students

C Doesn't express support or oppose free higher education. Unclear policies when it comes to ensuring adequate funding for education but seems open to changing things

D Believes the education funding is fine as is and is open to decreasing that funding

E Wants students to pay an arm and a leg to attend higher education Anti student loan forgiveness, Supports students being in debt to pursue a college education

Supports decreasing funding for public education In support of tuition hikes

Healthcare

A Supports single payer medicare for all & is actively working to prevent the privatization of Medicare and Medicaid.

B Does not support single payer medicare for all & is actively working to prevent the privatization of Medicare & Medicaid

C Does not have a stance on the privatization of healthcare or has no clear plan to stop it Supports lowering drug prices and supports the ACA.

D Does not support lowering drug prices, making healthcare accessible or stopping privatization

E Supports privatizing health care, is against Medicare for all, lowering drug prices, etc.

Immigration

A Welcomes immigrants and fights for their protection, justice, + access to education

B-D Immigration may not be the main focus but they support immigrants in the US

E Wants to exclude immigrants at any cost Supports the advancement of a wall or any measure to keep immigrants out

LGBTQIA+

A Candidate is educated on and speaks about LGBTQIA+ Campaigns Supports access to gender-affirming healthcare, inclusive sex ed, would introduce trans kid protection legislation

B Less outspoken supporter of LGBTQIA+ rights, campaigns, and legislation

C Candidate’s platform is mostly liberal/left leaning but doesn’t explicitly pledge to uphold LGBTQIA+ rights

D Candidate does not mention issues involving the LGBTQIA+ community and has a more right-leaning platform.

E Actively works against LGBTQIA+ rights Makes it more difficult to get gender affirming healthcare Supports laws that discriminate against same sex relationships etc.

Racial Justice

A Candidate is educated on and speaks about racial justice campaign Wants to disband or at least defund police Candidate is against racial profiling and other systemic systems of racism, ec

B Candidate is less educated, but still supportive of racial justice movements

C Candidate’s platform is mostly liberal/democrat, but doesn’t explicitly pledge to uphold POC/minority rights.

D Candidate does not mention issues involving racial justice and has a more right leaning platform.

E Actively works against POC rights. Increases police budget, is themselves racist, supports redlining/economic segregation, etc

Reproductive Justice

A Supports reproductive freedom and healthcare initiatives with the intent of making it free for everyone via a national health service program.

B Candidate is pro choice and deeply believes in reproductive freedom but does not have an anti capitalist framework and is not for universal healthcare

C Candidate does not have a clear analysis on being pro choice or the solutions to the overturning of Roe v. Wade

D Candidate is neutral or is not explicit about this issue.

E Candidate is pro life and is against all exemptions

University of Michigan Board of Regents Candidates

INCUMBENT INCUMBENT

The University of Michigan is governed by the Board of Regents, which consists of eight members elected at large in biennial statewide elections. The president of the University serves as an exofficio member of the board. The Regents serve overlapping terms of eight years.

According to the Michigan Constitution of 1963, the Regents have “general supervision” of the institution and “the control and direction of all expenditures from the institution’s funds.” This makes them excellent targets for student organizing efforts.

Other current Board Members include Mark J. Bernstein (D) who is president and managing partner of The Sam Bernstein Law Firm, PLLC and Ron Weiser (R) founder of the national real estate investment company, McKinley Associates Inc.

MichaelBehm(D) KatherineWhite(D)

LenaEpstein(R)

SevagVartanian (R)

SherryA.Wells(G) EricLarson(L)

PHOTO N/A

Wayne State University Board of Regents Candidates

INCUMBENT

The Board consists of eight members elected by the people of the State of Michigan for eight year terms (same as UM and MSU). The Board of Governors elects the President of the University, has general supervision of Wayne State University and the control and direction of all expenditures from University funds. It enacts bylaws and regulations for the conduct of its business and for the governance of the University It sets tuition and policy for other fees and charges, determines the compensation to be paid for service; confers degrees and sets the policy for management of gifts, grants, bequests, agreements and contracts, and leases or disposes of property. Once again, student organizing strategy can target and dissect board members as targets or allies for various campaigns a big and needed one being BDS from Israel!

MarilynKelly(D)

DanielleAtkinson(D)

CraigWilsher(R)

PHOTO N/A

ChristaMurphy(R)

BruceJaquays(L)

SusanOdgers(G)

Michigan State University Board of Trustees

INCUMBENT

Seven candidates are running for two spots on the Michigan State Board of Trustees, including two Democrats, two Republicans, one Green Party member and two Libertarians. Democrats now control the board 5 3. Terms last eight years for the board that supervises the university, its money and hires and fires the university president. Currently, the MSU Board is very publicly divided over the status of the President of the university's attempts to better handle sexual misconduct.

ReneeKnakeJefferson(D) DennisDenno(D)

MikeBalow(R) TravisMenge(R)

RobinLaurain(G) ClarannaGelineau(L)

MI STATEWIDE ELECTIONS

Gubernatorial Lieutenant Governor Secretary of State

Incumbent Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer is running for re election to a second term against Republican candidate Tudor Dixon. This will be the first gubernatorial election in Michigan history in which both major party candidates for governor are women.

The Lieutenant Governor of Michigan is an elected constitutional officer, the second ranking officer of the executive branch and the first officer in line to succeed the Governor of Michigan. The lieutenant governor is elected every four years and is limited to two terms

The Secretary of State for Michigan oversees elections in Michigan and is responsible for handling all administrative aspects of the ballot initiative process in the state.

Attorney General

The Attorney General of Michigan is an elected constitutional office in the executive branch of the Michigan state government. The attorney general oversees the Office of the Attorney General, which is in charge of prosecuting the laws of the state of Michigan In Michigan, the attorney general is elected in midterm election years and serves terms lasting four years.

MI Gubernatorial Election

D U C A T I O N & T U I T I O N

M M I G R A T I O N C L I M A T E C H A N G E H E A L T H C A R E L G B T Q I A + R A C I A L J U S T I C E

E P R O D U C T I V E R I G H T S

(D)

E ? B D

E E

E

D E ? C E B

B

Lt. Governor

E D U C A T I O N & T U I T I O N I M M I G R A T I O N C L I M A T E C H A N G E H E A L T H C A R E L G B T Q I A + R A C I A L J U S T I C E R E P R O D U C T I V E R I G H T S

Garlin D. Gilchrist II (D)

Shane Hernandez (R)

Destiny Clayton

Brian Ellison

C E ? B D B

E E E E E E

B A ? A B A

D E ? C E B

MI Statewide Proposals

Proposal 1: Voters for Transparency and Term Limits

It would apply a flat 12 year cap on state lawmakers’ tenure and establish stricter rules on financial disclosure

VOTINGYESwould apply a flat 12 year term limit to lawmakers’ tenure and strengthen financial disclosure rules for state elected officials, such as the governor, secretary of state, attorney general and all 148 state lawmakers

Proposal 2: Voting Rights Ballot Measure

VOTINGYESwould add several changes to the Michigan Constitution, including allowing nine days of early voting, expanded access to absentee voting and continuing to allow registered voters who show up on Election Day without a state ID to vote after signing an affidavit attesting to their identity.

Proposal 3: Reproductive Freedom for All Proposal

VOTEYES to write a broad new right to "reproductive freedom" into the Michigan Constitution, invaliding a 1931 abortion ban and potentially other existing regulations.

VOTEYES!

VOTEYES!

VOTEYES!