Board of State Canvassers meeting about to begin.

[demmiblue]

Board of State Canvassers meeting about to begin.

It follows court orders last night directing board to place abortion and voting rights measures on the ballot this fall after the two Republican state canvassers defied Bureau of Elections recommendation to certify measures.

Series of events:
-Challenges alleged formatting issues with petitions
-Elections bureau determined proposals collected enough signatures
-Board deadlocked along partisan lines
-Lawsuits were filed
-Michigan Supreme Court ordered board to certify
-Here we are

Republican Chair Tony Daunt kicks off meeting, says it'll be shorter than the last one when public comment lasted about 2.5 hours and canvassers heard back and forth of lawyers before deadlocking on certifying Promote the Vote and Reproductive Freedom for All proposals.

Thread starts here:

Link to tweet

[demmiblue]

1. We are already on the last name for public comment. This is going swiftly.

Angana Shah, a speaker wearing a Reproductive Freedom for All, told the state canvassers the ballot proposal will now for the voters to decide, but not the "four of you."

"And that's the way it should be," she said.

We are already on the last name for public comment. This is going swiftly.

Link to tweet

[demmiblue]

2. Steve Liedel and Olivia Flower (attorneys for Reproductive Freedom for All) address state canvassers

Steve Liedel and Olivia Flower (attorneys for Reproductive Freedom for All) address state canvassers.

Liedel: A record number of voters signed the RFFA petition. "They read it, they understood it. They signed their name to it."

Liedel: "It remains undisputed that there are sufficient signatures on the petition to present the amendment they propose to the people," he said. They performed their duty as citizens, you now have to do yours, Liedel tells canvassers.

Link to tweet

[demmiblue]

3. Motion made to certify the Reproductive Freedom for All ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights..

Motion made to certify the Reproductive Freedom for All ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state Constitution for the November ballot.
The motion to certify passes by 4-0 vote.
Supporters in audience respond with much louder burst of applause & cheers

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[multigraincracker]

4. Can we call Michigan the

Blue Water State of the Great Lakes?