(Source: MIRS.news, Published Fri., Sept. 9, 2022) With back-to-back 4-0 votes, the Board of State Canvassers approved the constitutional initiatives for abortion and voting reform Friday to appear on the Nov. 8 ballot after a decision from the Michigan Supreme Court.
The majority of the Supreme Court justices defined the Board of State Canvassers' duty as certifying if a form is correct or if the petition received enough signatures to proceed onward, not to rule on the substance of the proposal.
“The Supreme Court did a wonderful job of clarifying the limited nature of the board’s power and I hope the board will understand that in the future,” said Board Vice Chair Mary Ellen Gurewitz, a Democrat.
However, Board Chair Tony Daunt, a Republican, said the clarification from the court was something that was needed by the board, but there would still be disagreements over form issues.
“When people come to us in the future for approval of form, I still think it will be important that we lay out to them any grammatical issues, any typos, things like that, because I think it’s important that that stuff is correct when it goes out for the people,” Daunt said.
He said the reason for the deadlock on the Reproductive Freedom for All ballot initiative was a matter of form. The issue brought up was an issue of spaces between some of the words.
“It was a serious mistake. Again, something that I don’t think any of us would have voted to approve the form had they brought that to us back in the spring,” Daunt said.
Daunt said the board deadlock on the Promote the Vote 2022 was simply a matter of wanting clarification from the courts regarding disagreements over a legal question.
Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget McCormack wrote in her opinion that it was not the board's role to determine the legality of a petition.
“I want everybody here to understand there was nothing partisan at all in the conversation we had last week. There was nothing partisan at all in the questions that were asked for clarification,” said Board Member Richard Houskamp during the meeting.
Daunt was rankled by the question of partisanship and said it was a sign of the divided political environment in Lansing. He said it only helped irresponsible people enter politics and drove out those who truly wanted to make a difference.
“Ultimately, the system works. It may be put under great stress at times, but it works and that’s a testament to the founding fathers and to, in this instance, the four people on this board,” he said.
