The Michigan Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether a law that makes it more difficult for petition drives to qualify for the ballot is constitutional.
The lawsuit challenges an official opinion from state Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat. The opinion addresses a law that sets new standards for petition drives to succeed. One of the rules says no more than 15 percent of the signatures can come from one congressional district. Nessel’s opinion says the law is too complicated and difficult to comply with, and that it interferes with the right of citizens to enact laws when the Legislature won’t. The Michigan Court of Appeals agreed.
The law was adopted by the Republican-controlled Legislature late in 2018 and signed by then-Governor Rick Snyder. That was after voters approved three petition initiatives on marijuana, redistricting, and voting rights.