Wording suggested for affirmative action ballot proposal Wording suggested for affirmative action ballot proposal
Issue is headed for the November ballot in Michigan
The Detroit News
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060107/POLITICS/601070352/
By Tim Martin / Associated Press
January 07, 2006
LANSING -- State election officials on Friday released recommended ballot wording for a proposal that would end some affirmative action programs in Michigan.
The issue is headed for the November ballot. The ballot wording proposed by state elections director Chris Thomas states the proposal would ban affirmative action programs that give preferential treatment to groups or individuals based on their race, gender, color, ethnicity or national origin.
The proposal affects government employment and contracting, and education programs including university admissions.
State elections officials were under court order to recommend ballot language for the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative proposal by Friday. The wording is supposed to clearly explain a proposal's intent to voters.
"Actually this was a very easy proposal to write the language for," Thomas said of the controversial initiative to change the state constitution.
A state elections panel called the Board of State Canvassers is under court order to approve ballot language by Jan. 20.
Opponents are contesting the Michigan Court of Appeals order that the proposal should go to voters. Opponents claim some of the voter signatures gathered to place the proposal on the ballot were gained through trickery.
They say some voters thought they were signing petitions that would protect civil rights or affirmative action programs.
The Michigan Civil Rights Initiative denies any wrongdoing and says their campaign has set a standard for compliance with state law.
Neither supporters or opponents got everything they wanted in the election director's recommended ballot language. But both saw positives in the recommendation.
"While this is not the exact language we would have preferred, it is nonetheless a reasonably fair and accurate statement of the intent of petitions that were signed by more than a half-million Michigan citizens," Michigan Civil Rights Initiative Executive Director Jennifer Gratz said in a statement.
The group had suggested ballot wording that does not mention affirmative action programs.
Opposition groups suggested language saying the proposal would eliminate equal opportunity programs. Thomas said it is not clear the proposal would do that.
An opposition group called One United Michigan welcomed the mention of affirmative action programs but is still evaluating other aspects of the recommended wording.
"It's a good first step," spokesman David Waymire said.
Thomas said the state will take steps to prevent possible disruptions of the yet-to-be-scheduled canvassers meeting to adopt ballot language for the proposal.
Students organized by a group called By Any Means Necessary overturned an empty table and shouted down canvassers during a December meeting scheduled to place the issue on the ballot.
"We will not have a meeting like we had in December," Thomas said.
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On the Net:
Michigan Secretary of State: http://www.michigan.gov/sos
Michigan Civil Rights Initiative: http://www.michigancivilrights.org
The Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration & Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality by Any Means Necessary: http://www.bamn.com
One United Michigan: http://www.oneunitedmichigan.org
AP-CS-01-06-06 1604EST
Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press
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