Michigan Group Fighting For Legal Marijuana Face Problems

[bobandtorey]

A group working to legalize marijuana in Michigan in 2016 may be in trouble.  Jake Neher has the story.

 

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The Michigan Public Radio Network's Jake Neher reports on groups facing problems with passing marijuana legalization.

A Michigan group hoping to put marijuana legalization on the 2016 ballot appears to be thousands short as it approaches the end of its planned signature gathering period.  “We do not have the signatures that we want at this point,” said MI Legalize organizer Jeffrey Hank.  “We want to be able to turn in with a sufficient cushion.”  But Hank says he’s still confident they’ll get the signatures they need by extending the petition circulation period into the new year.  

He’s seeking a state policy change that would make it easier for ballot campaigns to go beyond the 180-day window for signature gathering, which a state elections boards is currently considering.  “Practically speaking, no, I don’t really think we’re in trouble. Our intention is to make the ballot and we’re still going strong,” said Hank.  “If we were in a position where things were dire, we would just announce that and quit or we would look at other options. But right now we’re continuing on with a plan to make it to November.”

Another MI Legalize organizer, Chuck Ream, was quoted by the Washtenaw Voice newspaper as saying the group was 80,000-90,000 signatures behind.  In a later e-mail to marijuana activists, Ream said the numbers were “ballpark” – and the group now says those are old numbers and are not accurate.  Still, every indication is the group is thousands of signatures short just days ahead of its original December 21 deadline to stop collecting signatures.   

MI Legalize’s proposal would allow people 21 and older to use and possess all forms of marijuana and tax recreational sales at ten percent. The revenue would go to schools, roads, and local governments.  Adults would also be allowed to cultivate up to 12 cannabis plants.  It’s one of two groups currently collecting signatures to put marijuana legalization on the 2016 ballot.   The other group, the Michigan Cannabis Coalition (MCC), would also allow marijuana use and possession for people 21 years and older.  It would allow two flowering plants per adult. It would leave regulations and taxation largely up to state lawmakers and earmark revenues for “education, public safety and public health.”

MCC has not given an indication of current signature totals, but is expected to make an announcement by the end of the year.

 

http://wemu.org/post/michigan-group-fighting-legal-marijuana-face-problems#stream/0

[bobandtorey]

MILegalize Prospectus for 2016

 

Michigan's effort to legalize marijuana by vote of the people continues into the new year with optimism and a plan for success

 

December 31, 2015

 

LANSING- The grassroots effort to legalize marijuana in Michigan is looking good for the 2016 portion of the campaign, according to campaign leadership. 

 

"We are charging into the new year with focus and determination," said MILeglaize Chair, Lansing attorney Jeffrey Hank. "Petitioning and campaigning continue statewide while our organization handles the administration of the campaign in Lansing." 

 

Hank reflected on the past year with praise for the workers and volunteers who compose the MILegalize group. "Our 2015 plan was successful. We augmented the 'volunteer army' of petitioners with professionals to create a solid core group of activists and an indisputable volume of verified signatures."

 

Those signatures collected by individual volunteers were returned to the campaign in mass quantities during the first few weeks of December. "So many signatures were turned in by volunteers before December 21 that our certification service was unable to log and verify all of them over the holidays," said MILegalize Campaign Manager Chris Silva. "They are still being processed, and petitioners that missed the December 21 deadline can still mail their petitions in to our P.O. Box or return their paperwork to petitioning hubs." 

 

Hank anticipates an update on actual signature numbers sometime in January. The Board of State Canvassers should meet in early 2016 to confirm the proposal submitted by MILegalize and other petitioning groups to update BOSC policy and embrace technical advances in computer technology made since the law was laid down in the 1980's.    

 

"Observers to this process feel confident that the Board will adopt the changes we recommended," Hank said. "With this in mind, we are more confident than ever that the MILegalize proposal will be on the November 2016 ballot." 

 

MILegalize must submit over 252,000 signatures to the State before a June deadline in order to qualify to appear on the General Election ballot. "The reality is, we have to collect far more signatures than we need," said MILegalize Director Jamie Lowell, who cited duplicate signatures and unregistered voters as reason for the need to overachieve the signature goal. "Without professional petitioners you just can't do it, and that costs money."

 

MIlegalize will announce a string of fundraisers in January and February to support the extended signature gathering period, Lowell said. "We've seen fantastic contributions from citizens during fundraisers in Grand Rapids, Traverse City, Flint and Detroit, to name a few. That kind of support is still needed."

 

Press releases announcing those fundraisers will be issued in the coming weeks. Track all the news regarding MILegalize on our web page at: 

 

www.milegalize.com

 

Mailing address: P.O. Box 4427 East Lansing, Michigan  48826