Sept. 9 – TRAVERSE CITY – The rain clouds parted and the sun came out just in time for the “Celebration of Democracy,” a free bipartisan event that drew hundreds of locals to F&M Park in Traverse City on Saturday.
The outdoor celebration, which has been in development since February, was organized by Traverse Indivisible and its sister organization Leelanau Indivisible.
“We’re really here for two things today,” said co-organizer John DeSpelder, 74. “We want to encourage people to vote, of course, but we also want to provide ways for people to get directly involved in the community through one-on-one conversations with all of the groups represented here today.”
Speakers included State Rep. Betsy Coffia, D-Traverse City, and her Republican counterpart, Rep. John Roth, R-Interlochen, as well as Christina Schlitt of the Grand Traverse Area League of Women Voters.
“I want to emphasize the importance of working together across party lines,” Coffia said before the crowd celebrated her birthday with a song. “It’s not about red and blue, it’s about what we can do together to advance legislation that benefits Northern Michigan.”
“Celebrating democracy is also about civility and supporting our election workers,” she added. “This is our election. We all do better when we resolve our differences peacefully by voting through the ballot box.”
The sponsoring organizations and speakers represented a wide range of social and political causes, from Equality Michigan and the Michigan League of Conservation Voters to Veterans for Peace and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
To add to the fun, Don Kuehlhorn came dressed as Uncle Sam, complete with a top hat and patriotic attire. He met with Long Lake Township activist Kay Gallagher, who was eager to talk about the developments in the Twin Lakes lawsuit against Grand Traverse County.
Local residents speak out
“‘A big reason we’re here today is we really care about the integrity of elections,’ said Steve Saaf of Leelanau County, who was there with his wife, Nancy. ‘I’m also interested in practical gun control measures. And we want to hear from the candidates — it’s good to have a bipartisan approach.’
Olga Stine, a Ukrainian citizen, attended the event because she “wants to learn how to be part of the community and these people share our values.” She is in the process of obtaining U.S. citizenship and said she “can’t wait” to vote in the U.S. elections.
Several area candidates were on hand to meet with voters and answer questions, including Fern Spence, Trenton Lee and Jan Wyant, all of whom are running as Democrats for a seat on the Grand Traverse County Commission.
Also present to mingle with the crowd were sitting board members Lauren Flynn and TJ Andrews.
Although many Republican and independent voters attended the rally, few Republican candidates were present.
When asked what happens next, party officials said both the local GOP and Democrats are planning “watch parties” for the upcoming presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on Tuesday night.
The League of Women Voters is planning another candidate forum in the coming weeks, but details have not yet been released.
Citizen participation
The overarching theme of Saturday’s event was the need for fair and open elections, and the value of community engagement.
For example, Hank Mayers and Susan Beckett stood at the front desk of ‘America’s Promise’, a group that advocates for more transparency in election financing and against the use of so-called ‘dark money’ in campaigns: political donations that cannot easily be traced back to specific individuals or organizations.
Down the road, Suzy and Bob Cline were promoting the Michigan State Police’s Angel Program. This independent organization helps people recover from alcoholism and drug abuse by pairing them with mentors and connecting them with available resources in the community.
Other independent speakers include the National Writers Series, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and democracy advocates from the local Unitarian-Universalist Church.
To top it all off, a live jazz band performed for the crowd, while people signed petitions and volunteered.
