Elections

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   November is months away, but the group that put recreational marijuana use on the general election ballot is already planning how to convince voters to mark “yes.”

Josh Hovey is a spokesperson for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol. He appeared on WKAR’s Off the Record program.

“We want to figure out what do people need to hear and what are they concerned about and make sure we’re addressing those concerns.”

TRAVERSE CITY, MI--   First Congressional District Candidate Matt Morgan is starting a write-in campaign for the August primary ballot. 

On Friday the Michigan Court of Appeals denied Morgan’s suit against the state Board of Canvassers. The board invalidated more than 1,500 signed petitions to place the Democrat on the primary ballot because the petition headings listed a P.O. box instead of his home address.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   A proposal to change the way the state draws its political district lines must go on the November ballot. 

The Michigan Court of Appeals Thursday denied a request to keep a measure by the group Voters Not Politicians off the ballot. The opposition group, Citizens Protecting Michigan’s Constitution, said the redistricting proposal was essentially a redrafting of the state Constitution.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   The issue of marijuana legalization in Michigan will go to the ballot. Voters will decide in November if the state should allow recreational marijuana use. 

Tuesday was the last day for the state Legislature to take up the issue. The Board of State Canvassers certified a petition a little over a month ago that would regulate marijuana similar to alcohol.

Both the House and Senate would have to pass the measure, but the House refused to vote.

TRAVERSE CITY, MI--   Democratic candidate for Michigan’s 1st Congressional District, Matt Morgan, says he’ll fight a decision invalidating more than 1,500 petition signatures to put him on the August primary ballot.

Last week the Board of State Canvassers voted against certifying his nominating petitions because the petition headings listed a P.O. box instead of his home address.

LANSING, MI (AP)--   The Michigan elections bureau is recommending certification of a ballot initiative that aims to end political gerrymandering by having an independent commission draw congressional and legislative districts instead of state lawmakers.

In a report filed Tuesday, staff estimated that 394,000 signatures submitted by Voters Not Politicians are valid. That's more than the 315,000 needed.

The Board of State Canvassers is scheduled to meet Thursday to consider the proposal.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   Two Democrats running for governor are challenging the other’s eligibility to appear on the August primary ballot. 

Shri Thanedar says he is not trying to get Abdul El-Sayed booted from the ballot. Thanedar says he’s trying to settle the issue of whether El-Sayed invalidated his Michigan voter registration when he voted in New York in 2012.

“It really doesn’t matter what that decision is as long as it’s based on legal and constitutional inputs.”

TRAVERSE CITY, MI--   On Tuesday Matt Morgan, Iraq War veteran and Democratic candidate for Michigan’s 1st Congressional District, issued a statement regarding his nomination petitions.

On April 27, the day of the deadline to withdraw from the Michigan primary ballot, the Michigan Bureau of Elections notified the campaign they would not recommend that the Board of Canvassers certify the 1,543 petition signatures submitted March 6 to qualify for the August, 2018 primary ballot.

LANSING, MI (MPRN)--   Millionaire businessman Shri Thanedar has filed petition signatures with the state to appear on the August primary ballot as a Democratic candidate for governor. 

Thanedar reported turning in 30,000 signatures a day before the filing deadline.

Thanedar enjoys high name recognition as a result of a self-funded million-dollar TV ad campaign. He says that’s also starting to yield more individual campaign donations.