SAGINAW, Mich. – Two veteran Michigan leaders at the state and federal levels, and board members of the bipartisan Democracy Defense Foundation, engaged Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) students today in discussions about existing election safeguards and the power of Michigan’s decentralized hyper-local elections.
Former Lt. Gov. John Cherry, a Democrat, and former Congressman Mike Bishop, a Republican, also encouraged greater bipartisanship to help solve problems and help our democracy thrive
Cherry and Bishop participated in the SVSU forum as voting begins for the November general election, with absentee ballots already being returned ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3.
“Michigan’s elections are safe, secure and accurate because we have a range of safeguards that ensure every ballot is counted and because we have a highly decentralized election system, with more than 1,500 local clerks overseeing elections in their communities,” Cherry said. “These hardworking, patriotic local clerks, elections workers and volunteers are our neighbors, family members and friends. They are the frontline of our democracy, and they are trained to run our elections safely, accurately and in a highly nonpartisan way.”
“We’re encouraged to see young people come together at Saginaw Valley State University no matter their political backgrounds to better understand our democracy and our elections, and that bodes well for bipartisanship and working toward common ground,” Bishop said. “Michigan voters tell us again and again they trust our elections and their results. They expect our elected leaders to come together to solve problems and put aside party politics to work for the people. Thespirit of cooperation that we see among young people is essential for the future of our democracy.”
Before he was elected as a member of Congress representing Oakland County from 2015 to 2019, Bishop served as the Majority Leader in the Michigan state Senate and as a state representative. Before serving as Michigan’s 62nd lieutenant governor from 2003 to 2011, Cherry served as the Minority Leader in the Michigan state Senate and as a state representative.
In addition to Bishop and Cherry, the other DDF board members in Michigan are former Govs. Jim Blanchard, a Democrat, and John Engler, a Republican.
In September, DDF released its third annual poll of Michigan voters’ attitudes toward elections. Among the poll’s findings:
- More than 85% of voters trust their local elections, believing local elections are fair and accurate.
- More than 74% of voters expressed confidence that the upcoming general election in November will be fair, secure and accurate.
- 74% of voters support allowing drop boxes for ballots, and 73% support no-reason absentee voting.
- Two-thirds of Michigan voters are satisfied with the state’s election system.
Read more about the poll on DDF’s website.
Former Lt. Gov. John Cherry (left), a Democrat, and former Congressman Mike Bishop (second from left), a Republican, engage students at Saginaw Valley State University during a visit to discuss elections and democracy on Wednesday. Bishop and Cherry are Michigan board members of the Democracy Defense Foundation, a national bipartisan organization that aims to raise public awareness about election safeguards and security measures, and strengthen public confidence in the accuracy and reliability of elections.
Published: Oct 7, 2026
