Score one for the Good Guys
The Michigan Board of State Canvassers, who didn’t even have a meeting scheduled as of late last week, has hastily scheduled one for tomorrow (pdf).
Why?
I’ll show you after the jump.
Tag Archives | Board of State Canvassers
EXCLUSIVE: Snyder appointee to elections board has connections to ALEC, Heritage Foundation & other pro-business lobby groups (Updated)
Out of the frying pan and into the fire
On June 18th, Sterling Corporation employee and Jeff Timmer resigned from the Board of State Canvassers, leaving only one Republican on the elections board and a Democratic majority. While some feared that the remaining Republican, Norm Shinkle, would resign as well, leaving the group without a quorum and unable to approve a number of ballot initiatives pending for the November election, Governor Rick Snyder acted quickly and last week appointed Colleen Pero to the Board.
Described in glowing terms on the official announcement, Pero sounds like an innocuous and innocent choice. The truth is, however, quite the opposite. Colleen Pero has deep connections to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the Heritage Foundation, the Federalist Society and a host of other far-right, pro-business lobby groups.
UPDATED: Mich Elections Board cancels next week’s meeting preventing decision on PA4 & collective bargaining referendums, GOP member has resigned
Desperation breeds desperate behavior
The Michigan Board of State Canvassers has cancelled a meeting scheduled for next Tuesday, June 26th. I confirmed this with a phone call to the Elections Bureau this afternoon. Additionally, Republican Board member Jeff Timmer is rumored to have resigned and it is believed that the other Republican, Norm Shinkle, will resign as well, leaving the Board without a quorum. I have been unable to confirm Timmer’s resignation but I have heard about it from multiple sources.
Without a quorum, the Board will be unable to certify ANY of the referendums headed for the ballot in November.…
Proponents of Emergency Manager law repeal use rare legal move to force certification of petitions
I can haz democracy?
The legal team for the Stand Up For Democracy coalition seeking to put the repeal of Public Act 4 — Michigan’s anti-democratic Emergency Manager law — are using a rare legal move to force the Board of State Canvassers to certify nearly a quarter million petition signatures and put the repeal on the November ballot.
The Stand Up For Democracy coalition issued a statement yesterday (pdf) following a press conference explaining their move:
The Stand Up For Democracy coalition filed a writ of mandamus today with the Michigan State Court of Appeals, seeking to force the Secretary of State to place the repeal of the emergency manager law on the November ballot.…
Fighting on: A stunning response to the lie that stole the voice of a quarter million Michigan citizens
Speaking truth
My good friend Brit Satchwell, educator and president of the Ann Arbor Education Association, is always on the forefront of fighting for workers and for those in Michigan who are most acutely impacted by the Republicans that currently have control of our state government. Whether it’s circulating petitions for the repeal of Public Act 4 — Michigan’s vile Emergency Manager law — or to recall Governor Rick Snyder or to enshrine collective bargaining rights in our state constitution, Brit is there, defending our democracy.
When the Board of State Canvassers met last week and two Republican men betrayed and silenced the voice of nearly a quarter million Michigan citizens with a vote based on a concocted lie, Brit was there and on his feet shouting “Traitor!” at those men. Detroit News photographer captured the moment exquisitely (you can see it HERE.)
Brit took pen to paper recently and composed a heartfelt and perfectly-worded response to this egregious act which he then sent to the Board. I am reprinting here from the blog of Michigan Forward with permission…
UPDATED: Denying a quarter million Michiganders a political voice was NEVER about the fonts
If you think elections just don’t matter, this should wake you up
Yesterday, two Republican men denied a quarter million Michiganders their political voice, a voice guaranteed by the constitution of the state and firmly-rooted in the basic tenets of our democracy.
Two men.
It’s astonishing that our system is set up to give two men this much power.
The excuse that both men gave was that, because the the heading on the petition was too small, the petitions were invalid.
But this was not and never should have been about the fonts.
Occupy the Board of State Canvassers – speak out for the repeal of the Emergency Manager law
What the font is going on?
If you’ve been following this blog recently, you’ll know that the repeal of Public Act 4 — Michigan’s Emergency Manager law — is being challenged on a teeny tiny technicality. The challengers say that the font on one of the headings is just a millimeter or two too small.
No, I’m not kidding.
I’ve debunked this ridiculous assertion (HERE & HERE) but the Board of State Canvassers will meet on Thursday to make their decision.
That’s where YOU come in.
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