Democracy Defenders Fellowship Program

Democracy Defenders Fellowship Program  — Summer 2026

About the Michigan League of Conservation Voters Education Fund

The Michigan League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (MLCVEF) — one of Michigan’s largest, most impactful political advocacy organizations tackling drinking water contamination, the rapidly-worsening impacts of climate change, and efforts to undermine our access to the ballot — is seeking a dynamic, temporary, full-time Voting Rights Organizer to educate, engage and mobilize voters to participate in the 2026 Midterm Election across Southeast Michigan while expanding statewide efforts that protect voting rights, grow civic power, and respond to emerging threats to democracy — especially facing Black, brown, young, and historically disenfranchised voters. They will engage voters and community partners to grow our volunteer base, register voters, educate on early voting options, and build collective strength in Southeast Michigan.

Program Overview

We’re seeking a creative, driven young leader (ages 18–25) to join our Democracy For All team as a Democracy Defender Fellow for Summer 2026. In this role, you’ll play a key part in our efforts to mobilize Michiganders and increase voter turnout in the 2026 elections.

Fellows participate in weekly leadership development training and skills development alongside peers in the Our Water Activist program (another youth program at Michigan LCV), gaining hands-on experience in voter engagement, issue advocacy, and movement building. This program is designed to prepare young leaders for careers in civic engagement, public policy, and political advocacy.

By the end of the program, Democracy Defender Fellows will:

• Understand Michigan’s voting laws and election systems
• Gain hands-on experience in civic engagement strategy
• Build a professional network within advocacy and political spaces
• Develop a portfolio of real campaign work
• Strengthen leadership, public speaking, and strategic communication skills

Responsibilities

• Attend weekly cohort-based leadership development sessions 
• Attend trainings on voter engagement, democracy policy, and grassroots organizing
• Participate in professional development workshops (resume building, networking, career pathways in advocacy)
• A final capstone presentation highlighting lessons learned and impact achieved
• Support voter registration and education events across Metro Detroit
• Assist organizers with event planning, outreach, and community engagement efforts
• Conduct relational organizing and peer-to-peer outreach within campus or youth networks
• Attend at least two in-person civic engagement or advocacy events per month
• Support issue-based rapid response efforts related to voting rights, democracy policy, or local governance
• Collaborate regularly with DFA organizers to capture on-the-ground content from community events, site visits, and voter engagement actions.
  Monitor local Detroit news, national headlines, and democracy-related developments to create timely, rapid-response content that resonates with Detroiters.
• Support ongoing campaigns like “Parties at the Polls” and early vote mobilization with promotional and real-time content.

Qualifications

• Interest in organizing, public policy, or grassroots advocacy
• Willingness to engage directly with community members about the importance of voting and solutions to the challenges they face in casting a ballot
• Desire to build leadership skills and explore careers in advocacy or public service
• Experience creating or editing content for social media platforms
• Passion for civic engagement, racial justice, and amplifying community voices.
• Access to reliable transportation is required.

Time Commitment & Program Dates

Democracy Defenders must commit to 15 hours of work per week for a 3-month period, including evenings and occasional weekends. This program runs May 19 – August 20, 2026.

Incentives

This is a part-time program focused on community organizing, training, and engagement. Democracy Defenders are paid via a $2,400 stipend over two installments. Democracy Defenders will be given applied experience outside of the traditional classroom settings, networking opportunities, and experience in working on issue-based and electoral programs, building leadership in communities, and helping to save our democracy. Exemplary Democracy Defenders will receive a letter of recommendation.

How to Apply

Click here to apply. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. If you need accommodation or assistance with our online application, please tell us how we can make this process accessible to you by emailing jobs@michiganlcv.org or by calling us at (734) 222-9650.

We know not all strong candidates will have every skill we list. We still want to hear from you. Research shows that women, non-binary people, disabled people, and people of color are less likely to apply for a position if they don’t meet every skill listed. At Michigan LCV, we believe our collective differences enable us to make better decisions, drive innovation, and deliver impactful results. We are committed to creating racial justice and equity within the environmental movement, and we know that begins with us doing the work ourselves.