Whitmer Vetoes Several Bills Over Dinner

Governor Whitmer took steps, Sunday evening, vetoing bills that were seen to perpetuate the “Big Lie.” According to a release from the Governor’s Office, at the 66th annual NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner in Detroit on Sunday, Whitmer vetoed several bills, including House Bills 4492, 4837, and 4388, which attempted to either suppress votes or “continue the calculated disinformation campaign to discredit the 2020 election.”

Governor Whitmer maintains that “the 2020 election was free, secure and accurate. The results were certified and officially audited by trusted local election officials.”

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According to the Governor’s office, House Bill 4492 would have made it more difficult to locate polling locations in senior living facilities and large apartment complexes. House Bill 4838 claims to prohibit the electronic poll book at each election precinct or absent voter(AV) counting board from being connected to the internet after the polls open on election day and until the results have been tabulated for that precinct and transmitted to the appropriate clerk.

The governor’s office has explained that this legislation addresses a non-existent problem because these precautions are already taking place. Furthermore, the governor’s office argues that HB 4838 “perpetuate(s) the Big Lie by suggesting that there is a defect in our election system which, in fact, does not exist.”

“I will always protect our civil rights and stand up for our democracy that countless Americans have fought to preserve,” said Governor Whitmer. “That’s why I vetoed legislation that would have perpetuated the ‘Big Lie’ or made it harder for Michiganders to vote. Right now, Michigan Republicans are participating in a coordinated, national attack on voting rights that is designed to undermine confidence in our election system and systematically disenfranchise Black voters, communities of color, older voters, and college students. I will have no part in any effort that grants an ounce of credence to this deception, so harmful to our democracy.”