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Michigan elections bureau: LGBTQ rights ballot drive short signatures

Restaurant in downtown Fort Myers asked to remove pride flag
Posted at 6:00 AM, Jul 09, 2021
and last updated 2021-07-09 06:00:27-04

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan elections bureau 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, short of the roughly 340,000 needed, according to a report released Thursday. A 500-signature sample had been pulled from about 445,000.

Election staffers ruled many ineligible because the signers were not registered voters or there were address, date or others errors. The bipartisan Board of State Canvassers will meet Tuesday to consider a recommendation to not certify the initiative.

If it were certified — a long shot now — the bill would be placed before the Republican-led Legislature, where similar legislation has long stalled. If lawmakers did not act, it would go to a public vote in November 2022.