Mary Stevens/Daily Mining Gazette Barb Byrum speaks to a meeting of the Houghton Democratic Party Wednesday. The Ingham County Clerk and former state representative is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Michigan Secretary of State.

HOUGHTON — At their monthly meeting Wednesday, the Houghton County Democrats hosted Michigan Secretary of State hopeful Barb Byrum. Byrum has been the Ingham County Clerk for 12 years, and served in the Michigan legislature for six.

“I know that Michigan needs a Secretary of State who is ready, willing, and able to fight to defend our democracy,” Byrum said. “Our democracy has been under attack for well over five years.”

In her address to party members, Byrum highlighted her dedication to marriage equality.

“When marriage equality was making its way through the courts on a Friday evening, the federal district ruled in favor of marriage equality,” she said. “I opened my office that Saturday morning at 8 a.m. and performed the first same-sex marriage in the state of Michigan … I issued 56 marriage licenses to same-sex couples…”

Byrum also detailed her experience of defending reproductive rights for Michigan’s women.

“I was silenced on the house floor because I was in strong opposition to an omnibus abortion ban that Republicans were pushing in the house,” Byrum recalled. “I said vagina, [another state representative] said vasectomy, and the guys were not comfortable, and I was silenced on the house floor. A week later, I performed ‘Vagina Monologues’ on the capitol steps.”

‘The Vagina Monologues’ is a play by Eve Ensler that focuses on the experience of having a vagina.

Additionally, Byrum pointed out her connections to the U.P., and her interest in agriculture. She has a B.S. in Agribusiness Management, as well as a law degree, both from Michigan State University. Byrum balanced her political duties with owning and operating a hardware store.

She has been endorsed by the state’s past three Democratic Party chairs, as well as County Clerks from Alger, Dickinson, Ontonagon, and Menominee counties.

“This is not the first time I’ve been to the U.P., and it’s not gonna be the last time I’ve been to the U.P,” Byrum said. “I don’t just come in the summer, I also come in the winter.”

One of Byrum’s main concerns in the state of Michigan is the effect the SAVE act could have on the state’s elections. Byrum explained how this act could potentially disenfranchise voters, especially married and divorced people, or those who can’t afford to obtain copies of birth certificates and other documents from their counties. This act is intended to make elections more secure.

“This will do nothing to make our elections any more safe and secure,” Byrum insisted. “We audit every election … what it will do is disenfranchise voters.”

“…this will impact rural voters more than anyone,” Byrum continued. “Our offices aren’t open 40 hours, chances are we have to drive a long way to get our records, and then drive a long ways and wait for them to be open to file those records…People don’t have time, they don’t have the energy, they don’t have the funds, to go through all those extra steps to exercise their right to vote.”

To learn more about Barb Byrum and her campaign, visit Barbbyrum.com.