Blog: My City Votes Makes a Difference – Because Each Vote Counts

In 2022, Voters Ed Fund launched a comprehensive Get Out the Vote (GOTV) campaign in five cities across Michigan, mobilizing low-propensity voting populations for the 2022 general election. My City Votes is an innovative program that collaborates with city officials and local community organizers to develop city-specific voter education and outreach campaigns including websites, events, direct mail, targeted canvassing and text-banking, and more to increase voter engagement, turnout, and overall civic participation.

In 2024, Voters Ed Fund relaunched My City Votes and expanded to six communities: Pontiac, Muskegon Heights, Warren, Benton Harbor, Flint, and Grand Rapids. While some of these are smaller municipalities, Grand Rapids and Warren are the second and third largest cities in Michigan, and represent a large population of low-propensity voters who are at risk of not voting in this election. We are also continuing our work to support voters in Detroit, as part of the Detroit Votes partnership that continues this year. 

We know that in close elections, like we saw in 2016 and 2020, just 2 votes per precinct can determine the outcome of the elections. That’s why it’s so important to reach low-propensity voters now and let them know that their vote really does matter. 

Through our partnerships with officials and community organizations, voters will receive multiple contacts from trusted messengers that provide the information and encouragement they need to participate in this election. In Grand Rapids, for example, our local partners from the Grand Rapids Hispanic Center and Creston Neighborhood Association will soon begin knocking doors! Their early start in those communities will especially make a difference in getting voters ready to vote when absentee voting begins later this month. 

We’re excited to see how My City Votes will impact turnout in this November’s election, but the My City Votes program is about more than any one election. By partnering with local leaders, it is our goal to help build voter power in communities across Michigan, and to make sure voters know that every election matters and every vote counts.