Earlier this week, Dawson Bell reports on the FINAL MCRI state ruling granting ballot access. Barring anything wierd at the federal level, MCRI is on the ballot. Also, see this excellent commentary on ballot obstruction.

ZR apologizes for the length between posts, but it is a busy season. The article is copied as it has been changed from its original link and lost online.

Supreme Court won't throw affirmative action ban off ballot
By DAWSON BELL
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

July 13, 2006

The Michigan Supreme Court closed the door Thursday on a challenge to the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, denying a request to rehear a decision to place the issue before voters in November because of alleged irregularities in the collection of petition signatures.

In a five-page order, Justice Stephen Markman said the allegations, even if true, would not justify removing the issue from the ballot.

A citizen “cannot blame others when he signs a petition without knowing what it says,” Markman wrote. “It is not to excuse misrepresentations, when they occur, to recognize nonetheless that is the citizen’s duty to inform himself about the substance of the petition before signing it.”

Opponents of the ballot proposal, which would ban government affirmative action programs that use race or gender preferences in hiring, contracting and university admissions, claimed that petition signers had been lied to about the effect of the amendment.

The state Civil Rights Commission also asked the court to reconsider an earlier decision that placed the issue on the November ballot.

Dissenting from Thursday’s orders were Justices Michael Cavanagh and Marilyn Kelly. Kelly wrote that the “allegations of fraud seem credible” and that state elections officials appeared to have the authority to act upon them.

A separate, federal court, challenge to MCRI is pending.