Groups petitioning Michigan to put voting and abortion rights referenda on the ballot in November submitted on Monday roughly 679,000 and 750,000 signatures, respectively, to the Secretary of State’s office, well over the 425,059 required this year (fixed percentage of the total number of Michigan’s registered voters), WXYZ reports. Pending verification of the signatures – which is probably a surer thing these days for Dem-leaning petition drives in the state than it’s been for the other guys – the ballot measure for election reform would allow nine days of early, in-person voting, pre-paid absentee ballot postage, provide secure ballot drop boxes, and a statewide absentee ballot tracking system. The reproductive rights measure – which is going to be a solid turnout driver in the Dem-leaning purple state – would enshrine abortion access in the state’s constitution.
In related and unfortunate news, a similar abortion referendum petition in Arizona to guarantee did not reach the required threshold in time to get on the ballot in November. Why Michiganders were able to figure it out there but the Arizona libs couldn’t is unclear, but they’ll aim for 2024.