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Showing 12 posts in Candidates and Committees.

An Election Day Guide to Essential Polling Etiquette

With a whirlwind to this year's election cycle already, the 2024 election is shaping up to be one of the most closely monitored in decades. Read More ›

Categories: Candidates and Committees, Compliance, Election & Campaign Finance Law, First Amendment, Social Media

What Can My Business Contribute to a Campaign?

Entering the final stretch of an election year, it is important for business owners to know what is legal and what isn't when it comes to campaign contributions. Read More ›

Categories: Campaign Finance (MCFA), Candidates and Committees, Election & Campaign Finance Law

A Guide to Regulating Petition Circulators: Best Practices and Key Considerations

Petition Circulator Getting Signatures Petition circulators play a crucial role in democratic processes, but managing their activities can be challenging for public entities. Balancing petitioners' rights with the need to maintain public order and access to facilities requires a clear understanding of legal principles and practical considerations. This guide provides an overview of best practices and key considerations for effectively regulating petition circulators in various public settings. Read More ›

Categories: Campaign Finance (MCFA), Candidates and Committees, Election & Campaign Finance Law, First Amendment, Personal Publicity Rights

Michigan Court of Claims Declares “Adopt and Amend” Unconstitutional

Yes or No Ballot ProposalOn July 19, 2022, in Mothering Justice et al. v. Nessel, the Michigan Court of Claims declared the legislative practice of “adopt and amend” unconstitutional under Article 2, § 9 of the Michigan Constitution. Read More ›

Categories: Alerts and Updates, Candidates and Committees

Political Spam: You Can’t Unsubscribe

Political EmailsAnyone with an email address or cell phone is painfully familiar with spam messages,  unsolicited e-mails, phone calls, and text messages, clogging our already crowded inboxes and resulting in constant notifications to our phones. While commercial spam tries to entice us to buy something year-round, every two years, voters must also suffer through an uptick of political advertisements during election season. Candidates are increasingly reliant on free mediums (such as email or social media advertising) and low-cost mediums (such as phone calls and text messages) to get their message across to voters and potential donors. As a result, voters are inundated with spam messages they cannot opt-out of or avoid, and Congress is likely powerless to stop it. Read More ›

Categories: Alerts and Updates, Candidates and Committees, News

The Who, What, When and How of Campaign Finance

Election season is heating up in Michigan and you might be wondering how you can get involved. Besides voting, the easiest way to help out a particular campaign or support an issue is to donate. Read More ›

Categories: Alerts and Updates, Campaign Finance (MCFA), Candidates and Committees

Michigan Supreme Court Dismisses Lawsuit Regarding Newly Drawn Districts

Michigan Supreme Court SealOn February 3, in a narrow 4-3 decision, the Michigan Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to the newly drawn legislative districts approved by the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) late last year. The lawsuit was brought by the Detroit Caucus and alleged that the districts surrounding Detroit violated the federal Voting Rights Act by disenfranchising Black voters. Read More ›

Categories: Campaign Finance (MCFA), Candidates and Committees, Compliance, News

Sixth Circuit Rejects Michigan Lawmakers’ Challenge to State’s Term Limits Law

Candidate at RallyOn November 17, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit rejected a constitutional challenge brought forward by a bipartisan group of Michigan state legislators arguing that their state’s term limits violate their constitutional rights. Read More ›

Categories: 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, Alerts and Updates, Candidates and Committees, Legislative Updates, News

Confusion Rises Over Census Submission Deadline

Census ReportOnce every ten years, the US Constitution requires a count of all persons residing in the country for the purpose of reapportioning the US House of Representatives. The Census Bureau uses this count to determine how many house seats each state is entitled to. From there, each state draws its own congressional maps using the census data; here in Michigan, we have an independent citizens redistricting commission to draw both congressional districts and state house and senate districts. Read More ›

Categories: Alerts and Updates, Candidates and Committees

Michigan House Bill to Require Training for All Election Challengers

Election WorkersAs the Michigan Legislature continues to explore election reform, one bill has received near unanimous bipartisan support in the House. House Bill 4528 requires political parties, organizations, committees and their members to complete comprehensive training before serving as election challengers. Read More ›

Categories: Candidates and Committees, Legislative Updates