Michigan Supreme Court Asked to Invalidate Petition Drive for Campaign Finance Reform
A business-backed group in Michigan has filed a lawsuit urging the state Supreme Court to invalidate a petition initiative aimed at banning campaign donations from political committees associated with regulated monopoly utilities and large government contractors.
The Protect MI Free Speech committee alleges that the state elections board did not adhere to its procedures when certifying that the campaign had gathered the required number of signatures from registered voters.
According to the challenge, the Michigan Bureau of Elections and the bipartisan Board of State Canvassers made a subjective judgment on whether the Michiganders for Money Out of Politics campaign had met the signature threshold, rather than strictly following state law requirements. The campaign was found to have barely met the minimum signature count after a random sample verification.
John Sellek, spokesperson for Protect MI Free Speech, emphasized the importance of upholding the rules for direct democracy in Michigan. He stated, “The board of canvassers shrugged their shoulders and said we don’t really care, it’s close enough, and that’s wrong. So, we’re asking the Supreme Court to force the board of canvassers to follow the rules.”
In response to the lawsuit, Christy McGillivray of Michiganders for Money Out of Politics characterized the legal action as an attempt to prevent the campaign from reaching Michigan voters through the ballot. She expressed confidence in the campaign’s ability to overcome the challenge, stating, “We are confident we are going to prevail and this is expected.”
The lawsuit seeks a ruling from the Supreme Court by August 20, allowing time for the Legislature to determine whether to address the issue within the 40-day window specified in the Michigan Constitution or include it on the November ballot if the legal challenge fails.
