ACLU: Mich. law that bars Conyers from ballot unconstitutional

[struggle4progress]

Source: Detroit News Washington Bureau

Group files challenge to voter registration rule for circulators
May 12, 2014 at 9:12 pm
Marisa Schultz

The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit Monday in federal court to argue U.S. Rep. John Conyers belongs on the Aug. 5 primary ballot because it’s unconstitutional for Michigan to require that petition collectors be registered voters.

The ACLU is suing on behalf of two of Conyers’ constituents, including Tiara Willis-Pittman, one of Conyers’ petition circulators whose signatures were tossed because she was deemed an unregistered voter at the time of collection ...

In the federal suit, the ACLU argues, in part, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a voter registration requirement in 1999 involving a nonpartisan ballot petition in Colorado and Michigan should not have a voter registration requirement for its circulators. In the 6-3 decision, the court said the requirement poses a burden on people getting on the ballot.

The ACLU said keeping Conyers off the ballot would hurt the other plaintiff, Ederl Edna Moore, 72, a registered voter from Detroit who worked on his first campaign in the 1960s and wants to vote for him in the primary ...


Read more: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140512/METRO/305120120/ACLU-Michigan-law-blocking-Conyers-from-primary-ballot-unconstitutional

[freshwest]

1. Thanks, s4p.

[Cha]

2. Wow.. well that's good news!

[sheshe2]

3. Thank you s4p!

[bananas]

4. Thank you, ACLU!

Without organizations like the ACLU and EFF, this would be a very different country.

[lostincalifornia]

6. That is true, but the courts still have to rule on it, and if this goes to the SC I have no idea

what will happen

[MADem]

5. This is a cautionary tale. Always, ALWAYS pay attention to the details.

Never assume that ya don't have to do the work to get on the ballot; ya do. And always, ALWAYS have a comfortable margin of signatures.

[ColesCountyDem]

7. Exactly! n/t

[Calista241]

9. Election rules

Isn't disqualifying your candidate's competition for technicality bullshit like this electioneering 101?

[McCamy Taylor]

11. Some people will do anything to get Conyers out of the House---

---and the "some people" are not necessarily the guy running against him. I suspect that the man running against him is being forced to do it. Just a hunch.

[Calista241]

13. Forced?

I doubt that. People will do anything for power. I suspect we're seeing that trait rear itself in this race.

[McCamy Taylor]

10. Exactly.

[seveneyes]

12. Maybe it's time for some new blood in the seat

There are many other qualified candidates that could add some new life to the position. I don't think the congressional seat were meant to be a lifetime job. It would be better to allow more citizens a chance at serving our country.

[okaawhatever]

14. K & R nt

[yurbud]

15. that's good news! this whole story smells like GOP efforts to gerrymander and block voting

[Uncle Joe]

16. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, struggle4progress.