ALPENA – With several ballot initiatives circulating for the November election, the League of Women Voters of Northeast Michigan is hosting an educational program to help voters navigate the petition process.

The session is designed to provide confidence and clarity to citizens before they sign petitions and ballot proposals can be written in complex legal language. At times, the information surrounding them can be misleading or confusing too.

This session aims to empower citizens with the tools to understand exactly what a proposal says before they provide their signature.

The program, titled “Know What You Sign,” will take place on Jan. 17, at 1 p.m. in the Judi Stillion Conference Room at the Alpena County Library.

The event is slated for Jan. 17 at 1 p.m. at the Alpena County Library and free to the public.

The session will be led by Doris Feys, Voter Services Chair for the League of Women Voters of NE Michigan.

“With multiple ballot initiatives currently being circulated in Michigan, it is critical for voters to know exactly what they are signing–or choosing not to sign,” said Feys in a press release. “Understanding the potential long-term effects of these proposals is the first step in being an informed participant in our democracy.”

This event is strictly an information session only. Attendees will learn how to read and interpret the language of a proposed ballot initiative and learn how to identify the potential impact of a proposal on the community and state. Attendees will also learn how to differentiate between factual information and advocacy rhetoric.