Whether or not voters cast their ballot for a Republican or Democrat, their right to vote should be protected. This is not a partisan issue. Bob Lorinser will fight voter suppression, expand voting rights, and advocate for the integrity of elections.
Three times in 2022, Jack Bergman stood against voting rights and never honored the people's will in the 2020 election.
Bob Lorinser supports:
Automated voter registration through the DMV
Declared Election Day a public holiday
Allowed 15 days of early voting for federal elections
Curtailed partisan gerrymandering
Enforced stronger FEC campaign finance laws
Required Super-PACs to report their donors
We must protect our elections from interference, dark money, partisan gerrymandering, and voter suppression. It also included compromised provisions clarifying state voter ID laws.
Voter suppression benefits no one. We may disagree with a voter's vote and be displeased with an election result. However, no one has a right to suppress votes or call our free and fair democratic election invalid. As we advance our union, we should ensure safe, secure, and fair elections are accessible to as many eligible voters as possible.
Additionally, Rep. Jack Bergman continues to stand behind his vote against certifying the 2020 election, referencing Antrim County's alleged discrepancies. Arizona — a state where Rep. Bergman objected to election results — conducted a GOP-led audit that confirmed the vote was accurate. Because this result was politically inconvenient for Bergman, he now calls the Big Lie a distraction.
Jack Bergman twice tried to invalidate a free and fair election. His attempts are unjustified and ill-intended.
A Republican-led / bipartisan Michigan Senate Oversight Committee found no evidence of voter fraud. No reputable evidence of significant voter or election fraud exists, as certified by all 50 states' Republican and Democrat election committees. Challenges to the validity of the election have been debunked, and many court challenges support the integrity of the 2020 election.
Here are the facts:
In 2016, our country elected Donald Trump in a fair and free election, and in 2020 we elected Joe Biden. We are a democracy and must allow the people's will — and the votes they cast — to guide us.
As a nation, we should collectively want all eligible voters to vote. Unfortunately, on average, just over half of all eligible voters exercise this right. We must support efforts to register eligible voters and remove barriers for American citizens to exercise their rights.
We need to recognize and promote multiple methods of casting a ballot. In-person, mail-in, and absentee ballots are all valid and secure.
Despite the constant rhetoric from opponents of democracy, we have and will continue to have elections without widespread voter fraud. However, continued investment in safeguarding our elections against foreign influence is vital.
Gerrymandering to support one candidate over another must end. Bob supports independent, non-partisan redistricting committees to evaluate maps and redraw them fairly and accurately. Maps should not give an unfair advantage to any party, Democratic or Republican.
Strengthening our governmental ethics and campaign finance rules to protect democracy is necessary.
Our system is not perfect, and Bob supports improvements to our election. The House has passed two bills that would protect our democracy and the right to vote; both would bring necessary improvements and enhancements to our system:
The For The People Act, H.R. 1, passed the House. Jack Bergman did not vote on the bill. The bill improves access, promotes integrity, and ensures the security of our elections. If Bob Lorinser were in Congress as MI01's Representative, he would have voted for this bill.
On August 24, 2021, Jack Bergman voted against the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, H.R. 4. This bill aims to protect the right to vote and would strengthen the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It would make any voter restriction efforts more difficult for states to implement in the future. If Bob Lorinser were in Congress as MI01's Representative, he would have voted for this bill.
Jack Bergman voted against certifying a fair election. He did not vote on the For the People Act, and he voted no on the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.
These three positions do not reflect and represent our district, nor do they promote the will of the people. Bob believes our democracy is stronger when accessible to as many eligible voters as possible.