Michigan voters came together on November 6, 2012 to strike down Prop 1, a proposal that would have upheld the undemocratic Michigan law, Public Act 4.  In conjunction with Michigan Forward and the Advancement Project, N-Map created a video to support a signature campaign to get this issue on the ballot.

The law, which took affect in 2011, allowed the Governor to unilaterally appoint an “emergency manger” to struggling districts in Michigan.  The law essentially displaced and dismantled local government by allowing emergency managers to make dramatic, unilateral decisions, without community participation.

Not only would Prop 1 have allowed emergency managers to shape curriculum within local schools, the law also threatened to dissolve local government in struggling cities like Pontiac, Michigan.

Stand Up for Democracy collected over 200,000 signatures in order to ensure that Michigan voters would be able to vote on Public Act 4 as a referendum in Tuesday’s election.  Together, we amassed enough awareness and opposition to defeat the law 52% to 48%.

This win demonstrates the power of awareness and mobilization in today’s political climate.  While this is a huge win for grassroots organizations and unions in Michigan, it is even a bigger win for the fight to preserve democracy and civil rights.

Hopefully, the defeat of Prop 1 will discourage other states from pushing similar laws that restrict democracy.

Congratulations to the Advancement Project and Michigan Forward!