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Board of State Canvassers approve ballot proposals

straight-party voting
Lars Plougmann
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Creative Commons
The Secretary of State says 95.5% of eligible voters are registered

Several ballot proposals for Michigan’s 2018 election cleared a hurdle today.

The Board of State Canvassers approved the form of proposals on earned sick time, marijuana legalization and redistricting.

That doesn’t mean the board guarantees the content of the ballots will hold up against lawsuits. But it makes sure the campaign won’t succumb to a challenge in front of the board on technical issues after they gather signatures.

Danielle Atkinson is with MI Time to Care. The group’s ballot proposal would require employers to offer earned sick leave to all full-time and part-time employees. If passed, employees would earn one hour of sick time for every 30 hours of work.

“Everyone gets sick but unfortunately not everyone has time to get well,” Atkinson said. “So this really is an answer to the problem that everyone is faced with at some point in their life.”

This is the third time this issue has been before the Board of State Canvassers. Previous efforts did not make the ballot.

After a recess to fix a technical problem with the affidavit of their proposal, Voters Not Politicians’ proposal passed.

The Voters Not Politicians’ proposal would revamp the way the state draws its district lines. Katie Fahey is president of the group. She said it’s a nonpartisan, grassroots effort that wants to give voters back their power.

“Currently, people’s votes are looked at to be manipulated instead of just accurately representing their will,” she said. “And we would like the will of the people to actually be the standard in Michigan instead of an anomaly.”

One of several marijuana legalization proposals passed. Abrogate Prohibition Michigan would legalize the agricultural, personal, recreational, commercial or other use of marijuana. 

Before becoming the newest Capitol reporter for the Michigan Public Radio Network, Cheyna Roth was an attorney. She spent her days fighting it out in court as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Ionia County. Eventually, Cheyna took her investigative and interview skills and moved on to journalism. She got her masters at Michigan State University and was a documentary filmmaker, podcaster, and freelance writer before finding her home with NPR. Very soon after joining MPRN, Cheyna started covering the 2016 presidential election, chasing after Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and all their surrogates as they duked it out for Michigan. Cheyna also focuses on the Legislature and criminal justice issues for MPRN. Cheyna is obsessively curious, a passionate storyteller, and an occasional backpacker. Follow her on Twitter at @Cheyna_R
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