The language of a Michigan ballot question concerning campaign finance is now final. A state elections board approved ballot wording for the Michiganders for Money Out of Politics measure during a meeting Monday.
The ballot question would limit some utilities' and state contractors’ political giving.
During the meeting, supporters and opponents argued over how the summary language voters see should read.
Lawyer Gary Gordon is with Protect MI Free Speech, a group opposed to the ballot measure. Gordon said the wording should describe what the measure would do more generally, rather than name utilities’ political donations as a specific example of an affected area.
“I think focusing on that is the sexy part of the statute and that’s going to attract people and their attention, and I think that creates bias in favor of the proposal,” Gordon said during the meeting.
Supporters of the measure, on the other hand, wanted language that closely mirrored the petition voters signed. The final wording broadened the example list slightly to include certain government contractors.
Christy McGillivray is campaign steering committee co-chair. She welcomed with the board’s decision.
"All the Michiganders that worked so hard to get this on the ballot are going to recognize exactly what they worked to get so many people signed up for," McGillivray said. "We are ready to finally rein in the pay-to-play politics and the out-of-control political spending in Lansing this November.
Barring state lawmakers deciding to pass the measure into law themselves, the question will appear before voters this November.
