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Second wolf hunt referendum approved for November ballot

endangeredspecieslawandpolicy.com

The November ballot could be crowded with hunting questions.

A state elections panel today certified petition signatures for a referendum on Michigan’s wolf-hunting law. That’s in addition to a referendum on an earlier version of the law.  

Meanwhile, a third petition drive is underway that would preserve the wolf hunt.          

All this could lead to some confusion on the November ballot, and the outcome of the election.

Chris Thomas is Michigan’s director of elections. He said, historically, the practice has been the one with the most votes wins.

“And if more than one receives a majority of votes ‘yes,’ then the question will be which one got the most ‘yes’ votes, and that should determine which one goes into effect,” Thomas said.

The pro-hunting campaign collecting signatures to allow wolf hunting – and to make it easier for wildlife officials to approve future hunting seasons – would first go to the state Legislature.

“We ask that legislators reject that initiative, and allow the citizens to have their say this November,” said Jill Fritz with the Humane Society and the Keep Michigan Wolves Protected campaign.

The pro-hunting campaign expects to submit its signatures later this month.

Twenty-two wolves were killed in Michigan’s first wolf hunt held late last year.

Rick Pluta is Senior Capitol Correspondent for the Michigan Public Radio Network. He has been covering Michigan’s Capitol, government, and politics since 1987.