Marijuana Legalization Group Delivers Signatures for Ballot but Faces Uncertain Outcome
MI Legalize submitted over 350,000 signatures earlier this week, but a 180-day petitioning window may stall the effort.
A marijuana legalization effort in Michigan has reached a significant milestone, but may face challenges moving forward. The group MI Legalize submitted over 350,000 signatures in an effort to bring the question of marijuana legalization to voters in November. But a Michigan law which creates 180-day petitioning window may stall the effort. Matthew Abel is on MI Legalize’s board of directors. He says, even though the group has been collecting signatures for nearly a year, the pro-legalization effort still has a chance.
“Any signatures which are dated older than 180 days before filing are rebuttabley presumed stale and void. They’re presumed stale and void, but there is the opportunity for us to rebut them, to show that those people still are registered voters in the state of Michigan.”
Matthew Abel, MI Legalize
Abel says the state should check electronic voter files for registration verification. Recently, Michigan’s Board of State Canvassers declined to change its policy. Abel says MI Legalize is prepared for more litigation if its petition drive efforts are blocked.
