Important Dates

• October 24th: Deadline to register to vote online or by mail.
• October 24th: Recommended date to return absentee ballots by mail.
• November 4th at 5:00 PM: Online and mailed requests for an absent voter ballot must be received by your township or city clerk.
• November 7th at 4:00 PM:  If you’re already registered at your current address, this is the deadline to request an absent voter ballot in person at your clerk’s office.
• November 8th at 8:00 PM: Deadline to register to vote in person at your city or township clerk’s office.
• November 8th is Election Day: Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. If you are in line by 8:00 PM, you can still vote!

(Source)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is running for office? 

• List of November 2022 candidates

How do I find my polling place?

• The Michigan Voter Information Center can help you find your polling place and clerk.

What rights do I have as a voter with a disability?

• Information on Accessible Voting
• The Bureau of Elections also has an Ombudsperson for Accessible Elections to respond to and assist individuals with disabilities attempting to vote. To speak with the Ombudsperson for Accessible Elections, call 517-335-2730 or email MDOS-ADAVoting@michigan.gov.

Where do students vote?

• If you're from Michigan and go to school here:
  • Register to vote at your school address or your home address.
• If you're from Michigan and go to a school outside the state:
  • Register to vote at your home address in Michigan.
• If you're not from Michigan but go to school here:
  • Register to vote at your school address in Michigan.
  • If you have a Michigan driver’s license or state ID card and you are registered to vote in Michigan, your voter registration address and the address on your ID will be the same.

How do I know if I am already registered?

• The Michigan Voter Information Center can confirm your registration and provide a sample ballot.

Visit michigan.gov/vote for any other questions!

Reproductive Freedom For All Ballot Initiative

A coalition of women’s rights groups turned in 735,000 signatures and seeks to amend the state constitution to:

• Establish a new individual right to reproductive freedom, including the right to make and carry out decisions on prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, contraception, sterilization, abortion, miscarriage management and infertility.
• Allow the state to regulate abortion after fetal viability but not prohibit if medically needed to protect a patient’s life or physical or mental health.
• Forbid state discrimination in enforcement of this right, prohibit prosecution of an individual or a person helping a pregnant individual for exercising rights established by this amendment.
• Abolish state laws conflicting with this amendment.

Reproductive Freedom for All is on the Nov. 8, 2022 Ballot as Proposal Three

Promote the Vote 2022 - Ballot Initiative

A coalition of voting-rights groups turned in 670,000 signatures and seeks to amend the state constitution to:

• Allow nine days of early voting.
• Publicly subsidize absentee ballots and a tracking system for the ballot location.
• Continue to allow registered voters without a state ID to sign an affidavit attesting to their identity.
• Allow public sources and charities to fund elections, subject to disclosure rule.
• Allow voters to register for absentee ballots for all future elections.
• Require ballot drop boxes for every 15,000 voters in a municipality.
• Establish that post-election audits can only be conducted by state and local officials.
• Require canvass boards to only certify election results based on the official vote counts.

Promote the Vote is on the Nov. 8, 2022 Ballot as Proposal Two

HB 4256 - Service Animals in Training:

• This act will require public accommodations to change policies, practices and procedures to allow the use of service animals by trainers or animal raisers who accompany the service animal for training or socializing.
• Public accommodations would have to allow the service animal and the handler in all areas where the public or customers are allowed.
• Prohibits public accommodations from separating a handler with the service animal or treating the handler differently than others, including charging an additional fee or surcharge.
• This Act is effective on October 23, 2022.
• Service Animals in Training
• More information about Service Animals

HB 5751 Emotional Support Animal Act

• This Act will create barriers and omits members of the disability community with mental or psychological disabilities who require animals for therapeutic emotional support.
• This Act confuses the types of animals covered by HUD, and is inconsistent with HUD guidance.
• Places a time requirement on patient/provider relationships and requires intrusive medical history information contrary to HUD guidance.

• Emotional Support Animal Act
• Download the poster

SB 460 & HB 5097 Education and Critical Race Theory

• SB 460 bans “Critical Race Theory” and the 1619 curriculum.
• HB 5097 “stereotype” bill bans several race and gender variables in public schools.
• SB 460 Education and Critical Race Theory: Reported in Senate Education and Career Readiness
• HB 5097 Education and Curriculum: Pending in Senate Committee of the Whole

Dynamic Character Accessibility Legislation

HB 4075 and HB 4076 - Accessible Parking Signs

The bills change parking signs from the International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA) to a “dynamic character symbol.” Public Act 220 tasks the MCRC and the MDCR as follows:

“ Sec. 102a. (1) The commission shall adopt and post on the website of the department of civil rights a standardized design that is a variation of the current international symbol of access. The design must comply with all of the following:

(a) Depict a dynamic character leaning forward in a wheelchair with a sense of movement.

(b) Provide a contrasting background with either a light symbol on a blue background or a blue symbol on a light background.

(c) Be substantially equivalent to the international symbol of access.

(d) Be simple and avoid any secondary meaning.

There has been no testing to show that the new symbol offers substantially equivalent or greater accessibility than the current one. A symbol other than the ISA will not comply with the ADA Standards unless it satisfies the “equivalent facilitation” provision (§103). This provision allows alternatives with the prescribed requirement that they result in “substantially equivalent or greater accessibility and usability.”MDCR is currently seeking legal guidance as many of the provisions of this legislation appear beyond the powers of the MCRC and MDCR

The burden of proof in demonstrating equivalent facilitation rests with the covered entity in the event of a legal challenge. Under DOT’s ADA Standards, certain entities responsible for transportation facilities and systems, as well as manufacturers of products and vehicles used in transportation systems, can request a determination of equivalent facilitation from DOT as outlined in its ADA regulations (§37.7 and §37.9).

If a court — or DOT where DOT’s ADA Standards are being applied — determines that an alternate symbol does not provide “equivalent facilitation,” that symbol would not be permitted. MDCR is currently seeking legal guidance as many of the provisions of this legislation appear beyond the powers of the MCRC and MDCR.

This Act is effective October 23, 2022. 

Accessible Parking Signs

HB 4416 Prohibits Restrictive Covenants

• Prohibits certain restrictive covenants in deeds.
• The bill provides an efficient and effective way to record the illegality of restrictive covenants in the chain of title recorded in the Register of Deeds Office.
• Pending in Committee on Local Government

HB 4275 Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN Act)

• Routinely, people of African descent are deprived of educational and employment opportunities because they are adorned with natural or protective hairstyles in which hair is tightly coiled, tightly curled, or worn in locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, or Afros.
• Michigan’s CROWN Act would include hair texture such as braids, locks, and twists as racial traits and protect these hairstyles under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA).
• HB 4275 Michigan's Crown Act: Pending in House Judiciary Committee

HB 4297 Expand ELCRA to Protect LGBTQ Residents

• Will codify protection from discrimination for the LGBTQ community in the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.
• The recent Michigan Supreme Court decision in the Rouch World case will allow LGBTQ individuals to be full participants in Michigan's economy, social structure, recreational opportunities and healthcare, with some assurance that their rights are now recognized.
• HB 4297 Expand ELCRA to Protect LGBTQ Residents: Pending in House Judiciary Committee

In a triumphant return, on Thursday, September 15th the Michigan Alliance Against Hate Crimes and the Michigan Department of Civil Rights hosted the 2022 MI Response to Hate Conference in East Lansing. Focusing on the theme, “The Othering of Americans.” This year’s session marked the first in-person hate crimes conference since 2018.

Featured guest speakers included Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel; George Selim, ADL Senior Vice President for National Affairs; and Dawn N. Ison, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. MDCR Executive Director John E. Johnson, Jr. provided the opening comments to set the tone for the day. Guests were also treated to powerful and informative workshops on the role of prosecutors, responding to hate incidents in schools, victim support and violence prevention. 

The Lunch Plenary included a touching commemoration of the murder of Vincent Chin. This year marks the 40th anniversary of his death. The presentation was conducted by James Shimoura and Roland Hwang, co-founders of the American Citizens for Justice (ACJ). ACJ was created in response to the hate crime that ended with Vincent Chin's murder. 

The Michigan Civil Rights Commission will be meeting on Monday, October 24th, at 10:00 AM in Traverse City. As a hybrid event, it will be possible to attend virtually or in person. The physical location will be the Grandview Room at the Park Place Hotel & Conference Center, 300 East State St. in Traverse City.

Virtual attendees can join via Zoom using the below information. ASL Interpreters and CART Services will be provided virtually. This meeting will include a public comment period.

Zoom Webinar Public link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82257437289?pwd=MnV3ZEdwM09aejJqZXhKZXhmVnZ6Zz09

Phone number: 866-434-5269 Conference code: 434995