The 2020 election results had many of us on the edge of our seats, but our partners at Michigan Liberation were to thank for the key voter mobilization that led to a strong Democratic turnout. Many voters were able to mail in their ballots in the months before the highly anticipated election, thanks to the consistent voter education organized by Michigan Liberation. 

Getting Out the Vote During a Pandemic

Michigan Liberation is a statewide network of organizations working together to end the criminalization of Black families and communities of color. The network focuses on building power through grassroots organizing, leadership development, lobbying, and electoral canvassing to push for reform in the state’s criminal justice system.

Initially, Michigan Liberation aimed to grow their friend-to-friend relational organizing program to spread the word about endorsed candidates up and down the ballot. However, the pandemic forced organizers to shift their program goals and strategy. 

Impactive was the perfect partner for this strategic shift and helped power the network’s relational organizing and GOTV efforts.

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Focusing on Voter Education and Mobilization via Text

The pandemic created uncertainty around ways to safely and securely vote. In response, Michigan Liberation turned to all avenues of communication to promote their political organizing activities and ensure Michigan voters could easily send in their vote. 

Organizers encouraged volunteers to reach out to those they know to run a robust relational organizing program and uploaded contact lists for peer-to-peer outreach. Through multiple text campaigns, Michigan Liberation relayed essential information about voting and crucial issue areas such as criminal justice reform to voters across the state. 

As a result, Michigan Liberation fostered the delivery of 800,000 mail-in votes during the state primary, and 85% of votes were turned in and counted before Election Day. Especially in a battleground state like Michigan, participation by every eligible voter was imperative for a Democratic victory. 

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Michigan Liberation continues to activate its community of hundreds of volunteers and community leaders. It supports local candidates in the state and works to advance legislation that ends the criminalization of Black families and communities of color.