Michigan Governor Whitmer visits Benton Harbor to lead march to get the vote out

 

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. – Incumbent Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) made a campaign stop in Benton Harbor Thursday afternoon, to lead a march from the downtown Arts District to City Hall.

The goal: to encourage everyone who’s eligible to get out and vote for the Midterm Elections.

“Our freedom is on the line!” said event organizer Stephanie Williams, with the Black Voters Matter Fund.

One of the key issues concerning Michigan voters is Proposal 3, which—if passed—would protect a woman’s right to abortion on a statewide level, which Gov. Whitmer said she is fighting for.

She announced to the crowd that gathered at The Livery “The only reason Michigan is still a pro-choice state is because of my lawsuit.”

ABC57 News caught up with her after the event for a one-on-one exclusive interview, where she said “Whether it is climate, whether it is individual rights, whether it is voting rights or reproductive rights, a lot of fundamentals that we always thought would be there are now very much at risk and that is why young people should be active in this election.”

The march’s organizers wanted the event to help increase voter participation by at least 10% this election.

While Whitmer was in town, she also touted some of the accomplishments made in Southwest Michigan—including the progress made in combating the Benton Harbor Water Crisis—in collaboration with outgoing Republican Congressman Fred Upton and Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad.

The project is nearing 100% completion, months ahead of schedule.

She believed feats like this will play a role in drawing people to the polls.

“This is a moment,” she said. “And the question is ‘are we going to go backward, or are we going to keep driving forward?’ And we say, let’s throw our foot on the accelerator. Whether it’s women’s rights, it’s voters rights, or it’s these fundamentals that make people’s lives better, we’re making progress, and we’ve got to keep going forward.”

If you are a Michigan resident and are unsure about voting, you can head over to www.michigan.gov/vote to learn more about early voting and where and when you can participate during the Midterm Election season.