Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad will join mayors from several Michigan cities to speak out against proposed election legislation in Lansing Tuesday. Muhammad will be at the steps of the state Capitol to oppose what the mayors say is legislation that would stifle voting rights, especially in urban communities. Also speaking will be the mayors of Eastpointe, Flint, Harper Woods, Highland Park, Inkster, Muskegon Heights, Pontiac, and Saginaw. The mayors say in a statement the legislation “has every appearance of being a direct attack on increased voter turnout driven in large part by African Americans.” The Republican-proposed bills would create stricter voter ID requirements, reduce the deadline for returning absentee ballots through drop boxes, prohibit clerks offices from paying for return postage on absentee ballot envelopes, and restrict the secretary of state’s ability to send people absentee ballot applications. The mayors will speak at 1 p.m.
