FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 3, 2021
Sierra Club endorsed candidates make gains in local races
Media Contacts:
Tim Minotas: 248-961-9610
Sierra Club endorsed candidates won big in last night’s elections across Michigan. The issues that drove voters to the polls in this off-year election included candidate commitments to renewable energy at the municipal level, safe affordable drinking water, environmentally sustainable development, and support for local green space programs. Sierra Club is proud to support candidates that championed these issues.
The biggest win of the night came from Grand Haven in seats for the Grand Haven City Council and the Grand Haven Board of Light and Power by Sierra Club endorsed candidates, Andrea Hendrick, Micheal Westbrook, Kevin McLaughlin, and Karen Lowe.
These races are important in particular because community members have been pushing back against a polluting gas plant project. With these voices now on the City Council and the Board of Light and Power, the people of Grand Haven now have representation that will fight to protect their air and water.
The election results from last night show that candidate positions on environmental issues will also play a big role in the 2022 election. According to polling done earlier this year through GQR, 71% of registered voters in Michigan believe that climate change is a serious problem, and 67 percent of voters want to increase the state’s usage of renewable energy like wind and solar energy. Sierra Club channels significant grassroots support to translate these polling results into election results, and last night’s wins show that we are making gains going into 2022.
“This is a crucial time in Michigan for setting a new, higher standard when it comes to environmental policy”, said Tim Minotas, Legislative and Political Coordinator for the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter. “Cities and local utilities across the country have been taking it upon themselves and leading the way to cut emissions, increase resiliency, and protect green spaces to ensure we are leaving a healthy environment for future generations. We look forward to working with all of yesterday’s winners in protecting the air, land, and water within their communities.”
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The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 4 million members and supporters nationwide and over 150,000 in Michigan. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org/Michigan.
Paid for by Michigan Sierra PAC (109 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave. Lansing, MI 48906)
