Several organizations have been working to get ballot proposals onto this November’s general election ballot. There are several hurdles to overcome first; the backers must obtain the required number of signatures of Michigan voters, the Secretary of State’s Office must validate the signatures and that the required amount was obtained, and lastly the Board of State Canvassers must certify the petition for the ballot. However, there are always challenges along the way.

In the past week there was movement on a few ballot proposals.

Earned Sick Time – This petition seeks to create the Earned Sick Time Act, which would provide workers with the right to earn sick time that could be used for a variety of reasons.

• The Board of State Canvassers voted 3-1 to certify the petition. It was sent to the legislature on July 30 and they have 40 days to either adopt or reject the petition. If they do not act, it will be placed before Michigan voters in November.
• Currently, 10 states and Washington D.C. require paid sick leave.

Minimum Wage Increase – This proposal seeks to increase the minimum wage to $10/hour on January 1, 2019; $10.65/hour on January 1, 2020; $11.35/hour on January 1, 2021; and $12/hour on January 1, 2022.

• The Board of State Canvassers voted 2-2 on certifying the proposal. The tie vote means that it is not certified by the Board. It is expected that proponents will challenge this in the courts. Additionally, opponents have been challenging the proposal language in the courts.
• Michigan’s current minimum wage of $9.25/hour is higher than the Federal Minimum Wage, which is $7.25/hour. Currently, 29 states and Washington D.C. have a minimum wage that is higher than the Federal standard.

Redistricting – This proposal would remove the process of redistricting from the state legislature and create an independent commission that would be tasked with re-drawing Congressional and state district lines.

• Following certification by the Board of State Canvassers, opponents of the proposal challenged it in the courts. This week, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled 4-3 that the proposal will be placed on the General Election ballot in November.
• Michigan is among 37 states whose state legislature is responsible for drawing district lines after each census.

For a more detailed explanation of how the process works, please click here to read MLC lobbyist Cami Pendell’s blog post on citizens initiatives.

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.