Board OKs petitions for voting, clean energy ballot drives
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Groups wanting to expand access to voting and boost Michigan's renewable energy requirement have seen the form of their ballot initiatives approved by the state elections board.
Promote the Vote wants to amend the state constitution to allow no-reason absentee voting, let people register to vote closer to Election Day and automatically register citizens when they do business at the secretary of state's office.
Clean Energy, Healthy Michigan is proposing to raise the renewable energy standard to 30 percent by 2030. It's now 15 percent by the end of 2021.
The Board of State Canvassers OK'd the petitions as to form Tuesday.
The voting group now needs nearly 316,000 valid signatures to qualify for the November ballot. The energy group needs roughly 253,000 signatures.