Benson working to ban guns at polling places
(CBS DETROIT) - Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced she is working to ban guns at polling places and enact a Voting Rights Act for the state.
She made the announcement at the annual Judge Damon Keith Memorial Soul Food Luncheon.
It would be part of the Voting Rights Act she is working with lawmakers to pass this year.
According to the Michigan Secretary of State's Office, the Voting Right Act proposes to:
- Prohibit voter suppression in the state of Michigan;
- Expand the number of jurisdictions that must translate election-related information into languages other than English;
- Enhance and clarify protections for voters with disabilities or others who need assistance to participate in elections;
- Prohibit intimidation, coercion, and deceptive practices in elections.
Benson is working directly with state representatives and senators to draft the act, along with taking the input of clerks and voting advocates.
The following is a list of the officials she is working with:
- Sen. Jeremy Moss, chair of the Senate Elections and Ethics Committee
- Sen. Darrin Camilleri
- Sen. Stephanie Chang
- Sen. Sylvia Santana
- Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou, chair of the House Elections Committee.
"Our kids deserve to go to school free from fear of gun violence. They deserve to go to church or synagogues or mosques with their families to worship free from fear of gun violence. They deserve to live in a democracy where their voices are heard and where they can cast their ballots free from intimidation or threats of violence. That is the world I am fighting for," Benson said.
"The time for only thoughts and prayers is over," said Benson, noting that many states, including Georgia, already ban firearms in polling places. "The time for taking action to ensure Michiganders are safe – in schools, in grocery stores, in places where we vote and everywhere in between – is now."