Sharpton, Gilchrist join Detroit effort amid voter intimidation concerns ahead of Election Day

DETROIT — As concerns about voter intimidation and election interference grow ahead of Election Day, civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist reassured voters that they can cast their ballots without fear. 

The two spoke Tuesday morning outside of Wayne County Community College District’s Northwest Campus, an early voting site, alongside volunteers from Vote Safe, an organization that helps minority residents overcome fears of voting. 

Statewide early voting began Saturday and runs through Nov. 1. Registered voters can cast their ballots in person at their local early voting site. 

“You can be confident that we’ll be on the ground … all over this city to make sure that they won’t be allowed to intimidate you, block you or stop you from voting,” the Rev. Sharpton said during the press conference. “Do not have any fear because we are here to …  protect your vote.” 

The press conference came just days after Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced in a press release that the U.S. Department of Justice will send federal election monitors to polling locations in Detroit, East Lansing, Flint, Grand Rapids, Hamtramck, Lansing and Warren on Election Day. 

The DOJ also sent federal monitors to Detroit, East Lansing and Lansing in August during the primary election. 

And in September, Markwayne Mullin, the U.S. homeland security secretary said that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers could also be sent to polling sites across the country. 

Sharpton urged voters not to let concerns about intimidation keep them from the polls. 

“People cheat and part of cheating is to scare you,” he said. “They don’t have to rob you if you don’t show up but if you don’t show up, you rob yourself.” 

“I’m telling you to ‘melt the ICE’ and come out and vote. It is time to make democracy work,” Sharpton said. 

As part of those efforts, Vote Safe, a project of the Save America Movement, will deploy volunteers outside of polling locations across Wayne County through Election Day to combat voter intimidation. Volunteers will be available to answer questions, document wrongdoing and de-escalate tense moments if necessary. 

“Voting is important and in a time where there is a lot of suppression happening, a lot of fearmongering happening, people need to feel safe to do their civic duty,” said Ellarose Preston, a volunteer for the project.  “We’ll be a friendly face to make people feel comfortable.”

Federal election monitors have a different role. They are only allowed to observe from 100 feet away from a polling location, though local clerks can grant them additional access. Monitors are also prohibited from talking to voters, touching ballots and interfering with the administration of the election.  

Gilchrist also warned against efforts to discourage people from voting, arguing such tactics are an attempt to undermine voters’ political power. 

“Make no mistake about it, the people who lie about our elections, the people who try to scare people out of voting, what they’re really afraid of is the power of those voters,” said Gilchrist, the Democratic candidate for Michigan secretary of state. 

“Nobody asks powerless people to do powerless things and powerful people never pass up a chance to use their power,” he said. 

Ruby Farmer, 68, of Detroit said that she’s noticed voter intimidation has gotten more prominent under President Donald Trump. 

“The people that we have in office now are liars. They cheat and they do anything to win,” she said. ”You have to just believe that you have a right to vote … and you should do your duty.” 

Farmer, who typically votes by mail, sent in her ballot three weeks ago. 

Michigan is just one of many states that the Trump administration has targeted during the midterm elections.  On Friday, the president said he ordered the DOJ to file a lawsuit which would block Alaska from certifying the election if Republican incumbent Sen. Dan Sullivan loses his race. Attorneys representing the state of Alaska have since asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuit.

Trump, along with several other Republicans, alleged that Dan J. Sullivan, also a Republican, is running a fake campaign to confuse voters and steal votes from Sen. Dan Sullivan. 

“The Dumocrats know how good he is and have put up an imposter of the same name. Vote for the ‘INCUMBENT SENATOR.’ Don’t let these fraudsters get away with this hoax,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. 

The Republican incumbent’s name will appear as Dan S. Sullivan on the ballot while his challengers’ name will appear as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. 

U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the DOJ’s lawsuit in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

“This litigation seeks to ensure that after Alaskans cast their ballots, they are preserved in a manner that only Alaska’s governing officials have the information necessary to make a determination as to whether Alaskan voters were confused or misled,” he wrote.