OCTOBER 18, 2024 ELECTION DAY Voting while homeless: accessible, yet unequal AMELIA ISACKSEN AND GINGER JOHNSTON U-M student contributors The 2024 presidential election is an extremely close race by all polling numbers, with the Silver Bulletin by data journalist Nate Silver predicting just a 2% lead for Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump. While the foundations of U.S. democracy include the right to vote as an important vehicle for citizens to self-govern, a tight election makes each vote all the more important. With every vote counting, the votes of people experiencing homelessness become even more critical. As of 2016, the voting rate of low-income individuals was 46%, compared with a rate of 67% for people with incomes above twice the poverty line, according to a study done by Columbia University. As of 2020, US News reports that only 1 in 10 people experiencing homelessness casts their vote. The Detroit Press writes that “many barriers to voting among those facing homelessness include misconceptions.” People who are experiencing homelessness as well as the general public may not know that people without a permanent address can legally vote, or what kind of identification is needed to cast their ballots. The voices, votes and opinions of low-income voters and those experiencing homelessness in Washtenaw County are more important than ever given the continuing reality of a lack of affordable housing; specifically the lack of political and public will to better fund low-income housing. The Washtenaw Housing Alliance found that “In Washtenaw County, the standard cost (Fair Market Rent or FMR) of a two-bedroom apartment can be $1,471/month, a monthly rate more expensive than 98% of the state.” When faced with issues such as these, voting empowers citizens to advocate for the change they want to see through political participation. The role of the Michigan Secretary of State is to ensure free and fair access to voting. Local election officials who manage the voting process are trying to educate people experiencing homelessness about voting and the voting process. Grace Bartley, a member of the Washtenaw Chapter of the League of Women Voters works to clear up these misconceptions. “It’s more about making sure that people are registered [to vote], and letting people know that registering is a thing they can do,” Bartley said. “The League of Women Voters also comes out with a Voting Guide of information which is pretty cool, we’re going to start distributing it.” Bartley is correct, as any citizen over the age of 18 not currently serving time for a felony conviction can vote in the state of Michigan, including those experiencing homelessness. People can register without a house or apartment address by using a street corner, shelter, or park as their place of residence. With a state ID, one can register online. Another option includes bringing a letter from a public assistance program or shelter to the township clerk’s office for proof of residence. Additionally, when prompted for an ID at the polls, individuals can request to fill out a statement that they do not have a photo ID. By casting their votes, those experiencing homelessness offer a valuable and often marginalized perspective on candidates and their platforms, from the local to the national level. Trudy Hughes, a League of Women Voters member, argues that a major barrier between homeless people and voting is feeling isolated and irrelevant to their government. “I think there is a lack of connection to the elected officials to feel that they are making a difference in their life,” Hughes said. “It’s that barrier of not feeling like their vote is going to make a difference.” Many similar organizations are working to spread information about available options for voters experiencing homelessness. For example, the Michigan Secretary of State's Office has partnered with the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness to educate voters and offer registration clinics. Locally, the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County here in Ann Arbor offers assistance with voter registration. On September 21 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., the SAWC hosted an event at the Delonis Center in which attendees could learn about their right to vote. On the first floor, there was lunch provided, along with representatives from Ambassadors from Voting Access for All Coalition to provide information on early voting, absentee voting, and more as a person experiencing homelessness. On the second floor, attendees had the opportunity to meet privately with a representative from the League of Women Voters to check their registration status. The SAWC is putting on another event in October to register clients to vote. However, regardless of how pure the intentions were going into the event, it was clear that voting was not high on unhoused people’s priority list. Most people in attendance buzzed past voting workers on their way to get lunch provided by the shelter, as they simply needed to eat. After witnessing what people experiencing homelessness go through on a day-to-day basis, it seemed silly to think that those who were struggling to find a place to sleep at night or their next meal would care about an election, especially since a lot of these people feel they have been excluded in the policies and agenda of our government. Also in attendance was Gail Summerhill, the founder of ‘Ypsi, Can I Share?,’ a program dedicated to equalizing information for those excluded by our government, that is specifically for people of color and impoverished individuals. Summerhill was disappointed in the event. She felt it was sick to expect homeless people to step up and vote while our government continually ignores their needs at the local and national level. “People who are at the lowest places in their life are not thinking about voting because their basic needs are not being met,” Summerhill said. “If you haven’t done anything but suppress these people what do you expect from them?” As we move forward as a democratic country it is crucial to equalize voting and to ensure accessibility to all citizens. Voting is the foundation of our country, and the heart of every citizen’s inherent voice in our democracy, so we must continue to break down the barriers for the marginalized voices of the people experiencing homelessness and work to equalize voting accessibility. As we look at this years’ close election, the mobilization of such a large voting block could very well make the difference between candidates. Still, while we must not expect the silenced to jump at the opportunity to vote, it is important that these communities know that they have an opportunity, and a choice, to exercise their democratic right. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 5
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