senate Resolution No.138

Senators Bayer, McMorrow, Alexander, Moss, Irwin, Brinks, Santana, McCann, Geiss, Wojno, Polehanki, Hertel, Chang, Ananich, Bullock and Hollier offered the following resolution:

A resolution to memorialize the United States Congress to fully fund the United States Postal Service and protect access to mail-in voting during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Whereas, Because voting is the foundation of our democracy, election systems must be equipped to count all voted ballots. Along with the individuals whose votes are missed, our entire system of government suffers when ballots go uncounted; and

Whereas, The COVID-19 Pandemic and appropriate responses to contain the spread of the disease continue to disrupt our everyday lives and normal activities, like casting a ballot at the polls. Physical polling places with large groups of people congregated together create an environment conducive to the spread of COVID-19; and

Whereas, Mail voting and the ability to stay home and send a ballot to local election officials provides a safe way to vote amid the public health crisis. In fact, Michigan has seen record numbers of mailed absent voter ballots cast in 2020 elections; and

Whereas, It is imperative that our election systems are prepared to handle the immense increase in mailed ballots, namely the delivery of those ballots from voters to local election officials. A robust United States Postal Service is vital to ensuring all mailed ballots are counted and protecting the integrity of our very democracy; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the United States Congress to fully fund the United States Postal Service and protect access to mail-in voting during the COVID-19 Pandemic; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.