Senate Bill 287 creates unnecessary barriers for absentee voting

LANSING – The Michigan League of Conservation Voters today issued the following statement regarding Senate Bill 287, which is expected to be taken up by the Senate Elections Committee. The legislation would bar local clerks from offering prepaid postage on absentee ballot envelopes, which many clerks across Michigan provided in 2020 to help increase access to the ballot box. Banning prepaid postage on absentee ballots would particularly impact younger voters who don’t regularly use mail and transportation restricted voters who have difficulties traveling or with mobility. 

“Senate Bill 287 is part of a larger package of anti-voter legislation that puts up deliberate barriers for voters and their access to the ballot box.” said Clare Allenson, Democracy For All Director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “Voters sent a clear message in 2018 with the passage of Proposal 3: We want more freedom and options for casting our ballots. Lawmakers should be focused on protecting voting rights and increasing our access to our civic duty, not putting up restrictive barriers.”