Letter: Integrity

Reader takes issue with State Senator's stance on elections

To The Editor:
This Memorial Day I remembered the American heroes who gave the ultimate sacrifice to help protect America’s  democracy. Unfortunately, I also had to wonder why our Michigan State Senator, Jon Bumstead, is working so hard to undermine that same hard-fought democracy by parroting completely baseless claims about election fraud. 

The week before Memorial Day, I, like everyone else in the area, received a postcard flyer from Jon’s office touting his support of various unnecessary election “reforms.”  His postcard said that Michigan’s election integrity is in question and that confidence needs to be restored.  However, given the outrageous lies upon which this “election integrity package” is built, the only thing missing integrity is Senator Bumstead.  

Senator Bumstead is using his position of power and possibly tax dollars to spread propaganda that directly undermines our democracy by creating fear and distrust in our election process.  He is not working for Michigan residents when he alleges impropriety in our election without evidence.  He is working for himself and serving his political party, endorsing completely false claims of voter fraud all in an effort to stay in power.  

Senator Bumstead’s flier speaks of voter integrity, implying that the voting process in Michigan is corrupt.  This is the same voting system that got him and many of his GOP members re-elected.  Let's be clear, Mr. Bumstead and the GOP legislature are intent on making voting more difficult for Michigan voters by limiting the amount of time to count ballots, making it more difficult to vote absentee which makes it more difficult for veterans, working women and men, and elderly to vote, and limiting the availability of ballot drop-off boxes.  

If you want to improve voter integrity, Senator, introduce a measure to allow more time to count absentee ballots. Currently Michigan only allows one extra day to count absentee ballots, which turns out to be a monumental task during a disruption like a pandemic. Allow online voting,  it's safe enough to pay my taxes and renew my drivers license online. Auto-register voters when they renew their driver's license. Expand early voting to reduce lines, thus expanding access for those who are unable to get to the polls on a Tuesday in November.  

There is no issue more important than the defense of American democracy. It is unacceptable to have  members of our state legislature prop up the Big Lie because their chosen candidate did not win.
  
Your efforts, Senator Bumstead, are a gross distortion and misrepresentation of facts around the 2020 election. The propaganda that you spread is a danger to the state of Michigan by sowing distrust and fear that destroy confidence in our elections system. There is nothing more Un-American than that.

 Michelle Petz

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