Republicans have made no secret of the fact that a huge part of their winning strategy is the suppression of votes in general and the black vote in particular. They have all but given up on the notion of competing in the marketplace of ideas and have resorted instead to consolidating the white vote while at the same time doing everything in their power to prevent non-white voters from participating in this democracy.
In the general election of 2016, Republicans got a huge assist from the incumbent Detroit City Clerk, Janice Winfrey. Through a combination of incompetence, indifference, and a lack of historical awareness, the Detroit City Clerk oversaw the disenfranchisement of thousands of black votes. Think about this for a minute: The Russian Candidate won Michigan by only 10,000 votes. In Detroit, Mrs. Clinton got 75,000 fewer votes than Mr. Obama got in 2012; what percentage of those “lost” votes was as a direct result of all the problems exacerbated by the lack of action and direction of the office of the Detroit City Clerk?
Clerk Janice Winfrey blamed out-dated equipment, poor training and lack of support from the State for all the woes experienced on election day, 2016. More than likely she’s correct. But that’s precisely why she holds the office — to find solutions to those problems, no?
But she was the person in charge, and should have done more to address the issues, or at least call attention to them, before the balloting began. And it wasn’t the first time her office has screwed up.
Voting is a sacred right, one that is held particularly precious in heavily African-American communities such as Detroit, where blacks historically were disenfranchised by racism.
The fact is, the person occupying the position of Detroit City Clerk failed and failed miserably to fulfill their sacred obligation to protect the votes of the citizens of Detroit. That failure contributed to the success of the Republicans declared purpose of suppressing minority votes. So far, I have seen nothing to suggest that she recognizes the enormity of her massive screw-up. She cannot — and must not — be rewarded for her part in the disenfranchising of black and other votes.
Enter Garlin Gilchrist
Garlin Gilchrist is our guy for the job of Detroit City Clerk. We — Support the Dream Defenders — think that he’s the candidate most suited for the post. Our colleague, the indefatigable 2thanks, is leading the charge on behalf of the Gilchrist candidacy.
But in case you are still harboring some doubt as to the suitability of Mr. Gilchrist, check this out:
- The Detroit Free Press endorsed him:
But the most promising candidate in the city clerk’s race is 34-year-old GARLIN GILCHRIST II, a former computer engineer and veteran political organizer who returned to his native Detroit three years ago as the Duggan administration’s director of new and emerging technology.
Gilchrist’s short but impressive career has furnished him with a broad range of technical and logistical experiences that mesh neatly with the challenges the next city clerk confronts.
- Our Revolution endorsed him:
“Garlin Gilchrist knows that voting rights are the foundation of our democracy. At a time when our voting rights are under attack, he’s committed to upholding our right to vote, and expanding the electorate to get more people involved in the political process.” said Our Revolution Executive Director Shannon Jackson.
- Moveon.org endorsed him:
And if you still need more proof that we are backing the right candidate, check out Mr. Gilchrist's response to questionnaires sent out by The Detroit Free Press, and then compare his answers to those of his rivals. Where the incumbent declined to take up the newspaper’s offer to share her plans for the future of the office and the other candidates could hardly muster more than a sentence or two, Garlin separated himself from the group by showing his grasp of the issues at play and by articulating solutions to problems known and anticipated.
There’s no reason to be stingy with information that Detroit voters could benefit from. That’s why I’d send more than one voter information guide. Finally, as City Clerk, I will make sure my presence is felt in Lansing . I’ll fight for policies that are proven to increase voter registration and voter turnout, like proposing pre-registering 16-year-olds, same-day registration, and no-excuse absentee voting. And while the state is responsible for purchasing voting machines. I’ll push for consistent, aggressive, preventative maintenance protocols. I’ll lobby for a plan replace voting machines on a more regular basis so Detroit voters never again are using decade-old technology and so we can be certain that Detroiters have access to the best voting tools.
Let’s deny the Tiny-Fingered-Vulgarian another win in Michigan by protecting the voters of Detroit.
We secure a win for Democrats by ensuring a win for Gilchrist.
Date of the Election
November 7, 2017.
How to Support Garlin Gilchrist II
- Donate to his campaign via ActBlue. We reached our first goal. Thank you! And now we move on to the general election goal of $750, visible on that website. Please use our ActBlue link to help us track our progress.
- Donate via snail mail. Print the self-explanatory form or send me a kosmail or email for details.
- Support this story as you would support any Daily Kos story, including by FaceBook and Twitter. Please share on social media, whether or not you choose to donate.
- Tell Detroit voters, friends and family, about Garlin.
- Follow Garlin on Facebook and Twitter.
- Near or in Detroit? To volunteer, go to the campaign’s volunteering webpage, send an email or call, or contact me by kosmail or email.
- A registered voter in Detroit? Make a plan to vote. Call Detroit City Clerk today for an absentee ballot at (313) 876-0190.
- Phonebank for Garlin: Please volunteer first, as noted above.
Supporting Garlin Gilchrist is a project of Support the Dream Defenders. Thank you, members of Support the Dream Defenders, and readers and members of Daily Kos, for all your support: We’ve raised more than $500. Woohoo! This is what democracy looks like.