Showing 9 posts in Candidates and Committees.
Michigan Court of Claims Declares “Adopt and Amend” Unconstitutional
On July 19, 2022, in Mothering Justice et al. v. Nessel, the Michigan Court of Claims declared the legislative practice of “adopt and amend” unconstitutional under Article 2, § 9 of the Michigan Constitution. Read More ›
Categories: Alerts and Updates, Candidates and Committees
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Political Spam: You Can’t Unsubscribe
Anyone with an email address or cell phone is painfully familiar with spam messages, unsolicited e-mails, phone calls, and text messages, clogging our already crowded inboxes and resulting in constant notifications to our phones. While commercial spam tries to entice us to buy something year-round, every two years, voters must also suffer through an uptick of political advertisements during election season. Candidates are increasingly reliant on free mediums (such as email or social media advertising) and low-cost mediums (such as phone calls and text messages) to get their message across to voters and potential donors. As a result, voters are inundated with spam messages they cannot opt-out of or avoid, and Congress is likely powerless to stop it. Read More ›
Categories: Alerts and Updates, Candidates and Committees, News
The Who, What, When and How of Campaign Finance
Election season is heating up in Michigan and you might be wondering how you can get involved. Besides voting, the easiest way to help out a particular campaign or support an issue is to donate. Read More ›
Categories: Alerts and Updates, Campaign Finance (MCFA), Candidates and Committees
Michigan Supreme Court Dismisses Lawsuit Regarding Newly Drawn Districts
On February 3, in a narrow 4-3 decision, the Michigan Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to the newly drawn legislative districts approved by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) late last year. The lawsuit was brought by the Detroit Caucus and alleged that the districts surrounding Detroit violated the federal Voting Rights Act by disenfranchising Black voters. Read More ›
Categories: Campaign Finance (MCFA), Candidates and Committees, Compliance, News
Sixth Circuit Rejects Michigan Lawmakers’ Challenge to State’s Term Limits Law
On November 17, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit rejected a constitutional challenge brought forward by a bipartisan group of Michigan state legislators arguing that their state’s term limits violate their constitutional rights. Read More ›
Categories: 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, Alerts and Updates, Candidates and Committees, Legislative Updates, News
Confusion Rises Over Census Submission Deadline
Once every ten years, the US Constitution requires a count of all persons residing in the country for the purpose of reapportioning the US House of Representatives. The Census Bureau uses this count to determine how many house seats each state is entitled to. From there, each state draws its own congressional maps using the census data; here in Michigan, we have an independent citizens redistricting commission to draw both congressional districts and state house and senate districts. Read More ›
Categories: Alerts and Updates, Candidates and Committees
Michigan House Bill to Require Training for All Election Challengers
As the Michigan Legislature continues to explore election reform, one bill has received near unanimous bipartisan support in the House. House Bill 4528 requires political parties, organizations, committees and their members to complete comprehensive training before serving as election challengers. Read More ›
Categories: Candidates and Committees, Legislative Updates
Judge Feeney to Appear on Ballot as Incumbent, with Separate Listing
Judge Kathleen Feeney, a sitting 17th Circuit Judge (Kent County), recently won her lawsuit to be given the incumbency designation for the upcoming November election. Additionally, she will be listed separately on the ballot. Judge Feeney is seeking reelection to the bench where she has sat since her initial appointment in 2000. Read More ›
Categories: Alerts and Updates, Candidates and Committees
Campaigning during COVID-19: Rules for Absentee Ballots
This year, like every even year, Michigan voters will be asked to elect candidates for federal, state, and local offices. Up for grabs at the federal level are the Presidency, a U.S. Senate seat, and all 14 U.S. House seats. At the state and local levels, Michigan voters will be electing a new state Supreme Court justice, members of the state House and Senate, and local officials like county commissioners, mayors, supervisors, and the like. Unlike previous years, this election will happen during a global pandemic. Read More ›
Categories: Campaign Finance (MCFA), Candidates and Committees