It sucks that we lost Michigan’s Electoral College votes last November. A mere two votes per precinct would have changed the outcome here. We have a lot of work to do to make sure we’re not just as miserable on November 7. 2018. For me, that work will be focused on rebuilding a solid Precinct Delegate structure for the Michigan Democratic Party.
Precinct Delegates constitute the grassroots of party membership. If we’re sufficiently strong, we can not only influence elections, we can influence candidates and office holders. I see our task not only to cultivate voters, but to empower voters — to support the development of small-d democracy all year round, election year or otherwise. We do that in part by making it possible for people to know they can effect change on their own behalf.
I am convinced that many of our non-voters stay home because they have no incentive to vote that’s strong enough to overcome the many hindrances there are to voting in Michigan. The only early voting we have (as we know but many don’t) is by absentee ballot; and absentee ballots are supposedly to be given only for “reasons.” Early voting is prohibitive because of our hyper-local voting system, and so far voting by mail has not gained much momentum. And this is to suspend discussion for now of the awkwardness of voter registration for large groups of citizens in our state.
The good news is that it is doable. It is possible for us to fight back, to organize, to cooperate in raising each other up and giving each other the tools of effective civic engagement. Are the barriers high and the obstacles forbidding? No question. Are our congressional districts gerrymandered to hell and gone? Absolutely. Will the DeVos cabal throw millions and millions and millions of dollars into campaigns for GOP candidates? Without a doubt. Am I overly optimistic for thinking we have a chance? No way to tell. Except that we will certainly lose if we don’t try.
My hardworking colleagues and I in Washtenaw County have been putting together some plans and strategies in support of these goals, some of which we discussed at the Michigan Democratic Party leadership summit last month. We already have tentative dates for presentations involving Democratic Party clubs, county parties, or CDs in the 1st, 6th, 7th, 11th, and 12th between now and the end of May. After the jump, I’ll explain briefly what we have in hand already — hoping that some of you will either A) want to arrange a meeting to discuss these topics in your own area; B) plan a Michigan Kos meetup in connection with such a presentation; C) both. 😎