How do I Open a Petition in Michigan?
Petitions, also called voter initiatives, allow individual citizens to propose laws in many states, including Michigan. With enough signatures from registered voters, the proposed law will be voted on by either the legislature or the electorate.
Unlike laws proposed by the legislature, laws proposed by petition may only be accepted or rejected, not amended or changed. There have been 14 voter-initiated proposals in Michigan since 1963; nine of which have gone on to become law.
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Instructions
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Contact the Michigan Department of State at 888-767-6424. The Bureau of Elections offers consultations with voters to design ballot initiatives with appropriate language. Following their guidelines on formatting can increase the chances that a petition will be successful.
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Distribute copies of your petition to gain signatures from registered Michigan voters. The law requires the number of valid signatures gathered for an initiative to equal at least eight percent of the number of voters in the most recent gubernatorial election (304,101 signatures as of September 2010).
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Collect the required number of signatures within a 180 day period. Signatures gathered more than 180 days before the petition is filed will be rejected.
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Submit the petition the the Secretary of State, at the Michigan Department of State, Lansing, MI 48918. Once filed, the Board of State Canvassers will begin the process of verifying signatures.
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Tips & Warnings
If you wish the proposed law to be voted on in a specific election, you must file the petition at least 160 days before that election.
Make sure your petition deals with a single clear subject. An initiative which is too broad may be rejected by the judiciary.
Obtaining signatures fraudulently is illegal.
References
Resources
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