Activists Cry Foul In Michigan LGBT Rights Ballot Drive

The Associated Press reports:

The Michigan elections bureau has determined that organizers of a ballot drive to prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people failed to collect enough valid voter signatures. Fair and Equal Michigan gathered nearly 299,000 signatures, short of the roughly 340,000 needed, according to a report released Thursday.

“The Bureau of Elections threw out thousands of signatures that are valid and we will fight for every valid signature so no voters are disenfranchised,” said Josh Hovey, spokesman for Fair and Equal Michigan, which has raised and spent $2.9 million on the effort.

Read the full article.

Michigan elections bureau: LGBTQ rights ballot drive short on valid signatures; initiative would update state’s civil rights law to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity; organizers raised, spent $2.9M (from @AP) #mileg https://t.co/gXIu008S1p

— David Eggert (@DavidEggert00) July 9, 2021

LGBTQ rights group ready to file suit after state rejects petition signatures https://t.co/bsipoZLNo3 via @michiganadvance

— Michigan Advance (@MichiganAdvance) July 9, 2021