Gov. Snyder criticizes ballot proposal process

Governor Rick Snyder says he’d like to see some changes in the rules for how petition drives put proposals on the ballot.

The governor is particularly critical of paying petition circulators for signatures.

Ballot campaigns spent at least $9.6 million on signature collection alone this year. Governor Snyder said that circumvents the idea of ballot campaigns as grassroots initiatives.

He opposes the five proposed amendments to the state constitution.

The governor said he might call for an overhaul of the rules for petition drives after this election campaign is over.  

“There’s a list of several things, but the paid petition circulators, the bounty, is...one I think we should have a public discussion on,” he said.

The governor says he already has people looking into what other states do to limit payments for petition signatures. He says there appears to be a patchwork of rules across the country.

Snyder says he wouldn’t be surprised to see court challenges to whatever Michigan does.